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The 10 most popular international destinations for American travelers

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Amsterdam

AAA just released its list of the most popular international destinations for 2016.

The list was curated according to AAA bookings for travel through July 2016.

While a couple of tropical destinations made the list, European cities made up the bulk of it.

Keep scrolling to see where Americans are planning on traveling this year. 

 

SEE ALSO: 12 destinations where you can stay in a 5-star hotel for less than $200 a night

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10. Prague, Czech Republic



9. Vancouver, British Columbia



8. Montego Bay, Jamaica



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The 14 best Mac apps for making your life easier (AAPL)

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Pixelmator 3.2 Sandstone

It's no secret that a Mac is one of the best tools available for getting things done — both in work and in play.

And Mac apps are the key to that. The following apps are the "must-haves," the ones that will actually change the way you use your Mac. These apps will take your movie-watching to the next level, keep your Mac running clean, or let you make your own GIFs at any time. On the more serious side, they will help you take great notes and build effective passwords to keep your accounts safe.

There's even an app to make your computer screen easier on your eyes.

At the root of it all, these apps make it easier than ever to do nearly any common task — in other words, these are the 14 Mac apps you should download today.

Additional reporting by Kyle Russell and Steven Tweedie.

SEE ALSO: These are the 15 best apps to meet cool people around you — and while you're traveling

Helium is the best way to watch Netflix while getting work done.

Helium is a multitasker's dream, making it easy to watch your favorite shows without sacrificing any valuable screen real estate or resizing windows. The secret? It turns your videos partially transparent while removing your mouse's ability to interact with it, freeing you up to use your mouse to click, scroll, and select anything that resides behind your video.

Price:Free



Cheatsheet shows you all the shortcuts in whatever app you are using.

Cheatsheet is an app that makes using all other apps better. After Cheatsheet is installed, you can just hold the "⌘" key a bit longer than usual, and Cheatsheet will bring up a list of all active shortcuts in the app you are using.

Price:Free



F.lux gives your eyes a break by reducing your screen's colors to match the time of day.

F.lux is perfect for those mornings when you have to work on your computer before the sun comes up. Instead of squinting for the first twenty minutes, you can open your laptop to a warmer, more comfortable screen.

Price:Free



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The best places to go apple picking near New York City

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Apples

Without apples we wouldn’t have some of the best treats out there: apple pie, cider, hard cider, cider donuts — basically all of your fall favorites. 

So, if you’re looking to get away this weekend, why not spend some time picking apples? We rounded up some of the best places near New York City to get away for the weekend and come home with a bushel full of fall's favorite fruit.

Make sure to go before it's too late; apple picking season winds down near the end of October.

1. Applewood Orchards and Winery

Applewood Winery

For those wanting to spend the weekend drinking wine and eating apples, head to Applewood Orchards, which also happens to be a winery.

Located in the heart of Hudson Valley, the orchard also has plenty of attractions, including an herb and rose garden, wagon rides, puppet shows, and (of course) freshly pressed apple cider. 

There is no admission, parking, or entertainment fees — you simply pay for the apples you take. 

Applewood Orchards is located at 82 Four Corners Road, Warwick, NY

2. Greig Farm

Greig FarmGreig's has been open to the public for over 60 years. The farm is open everyday from 9am to 7pm rain or shine, and visitors have their choice of picking both fruits and vegetables depending on the time of year.

Currently, the farm is offering blackberries and plenty of apple varieties for picking.

Greig also hosts the Hudson Valley Farmer's Market every Saturday in a century-old barn. It's a great opportunity to grab some eggs, cheeses, meats, fish, or flowers to go with whatever you just finished picking.

Greig Farm is located on Pitcher Lane, Red Hook, NY

3. Fishkill Farm

Fishkill Farms

This apple orchard has been in the same family for nearly 100 years. Fishkill’s mission is to combine the historical identity of the “u-pick” orchard with sustainable farming methods. 

They have Harvest Festival Weekends all through October, where they offer homemade food, donuts, cider, hayride, and live music. With views of the Catskills, you can relax while listening to live music and eating homemade pies. 

Plus, you can pick peaches and nectarines if apples aren't your thing. 

Fishkill Farm is located at 9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction, NY

4. Barton Orchards

Barton OrchardsBarton Orchards offers 122 acres and 25 varieties of apples, as well as a petting zoo and weekend hayrides for the kids. There's even a haunted house all throughout October.

The farm is open from 9am to 5pm every day, and there are multiple dining options on site. Their bakery sells fresh apple cider donuts, there's a kitchen that serves burgers, chili, hot dogs, and more, along with a tap room for adults, and a farm market that includes a fudge counter.

There are also plenty of events throughout the year, such as a pumpkin festival.

Bartons is located at 63 Apple Tree Lane, Poughquag, New York

5. Wright’s Apple Farm

Wrights Farms

This 453-acre farm produces 100,000 bushels of apples annually. They also grow a variety of other fruits, including cherries, peaches, plums, and nectarines 

The farm also has a roadside farmer's market that's open year-round and a bakery that makes assortments of pies every day — and plenty of pumpkins. 

Wright’s Apple Farm is located at 669 State Route 208, Gardiner, NY

6. Hurds Family Farm

Hurds Family FarmHurds has been a true family farm for seven generations.

Home to more than just apple picking, the farm is a great place to seek out a Christmas tree, find your way through the corn maze, or go for a ride on the cow-train.

There are multiple farm-to-table products to choose from at Hurds' stores, and even an apple cafe that sells all kinds of unique snacks featuring apples.

Hurds Family Farm is located at 2187 Route 32 Modena, New York

7. Masker Orchards

Masker Orchards

Masker’s has been around for over 100 years and has a 200-acre orchard chock full of apples for the taking.

They are located in the middle of the Hudson Valley, and are a good option for young families since they offer plenty of fun options for children, including barnyard baby animals as well as pony and wagon rides. 

Masker Orchard is located at 45 Ball Rd, Warwick, NY

8. Stuart’s Fruit Farm

Stuart's Fruit Farm

Stuart’s has been a family-operated farm since 1828, and grows 14 different varieties of apples for picking in October.  

They also have hayrides on the weekends and a pumpkin patch so you can enjoy all your favorite fall activities in one place.

Stuart’s Fruit Farm is located at 62 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs, NY

SEE ALSO: 33 Things Every New Yorker Should Do This Fall

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The 105 smartest public colleges in America

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University of Florida fans

If you want to be surrounded by some of the smartest students in the US and get the most bang for your buck, you may want to consider one of the following universities.

From our recent list of the smartest colleges in America, we pulled out the top public schools. 

These colleges offer brainpower and affordability, since the average annual cost of attending an in-state four-year public school is $9,100, according to CollegeBoardCompare that to the average private school cost of $31,200 — a difference of $22,100 a year.

In order to determine a school's overall smarts, Jonathan Wai, a Duke University Talent Identification Program research scientist, analyzed the average standardized test scores that schools report to US News. (Those that did not report scores are not included.)

These tests are often criticized, but research shows that both the SAT and ACT are good measures of general cognitive ability, since just about any mental test measures one's ability to reason.

ACT scores were converted to SAT scores (math + verbal) using this concordance table so all schools could be compared on one metric. Then, an average of the 25th and 75th percentile was computed (see more detail on methods and limitations here). 

On the following ranking, a (2) next to the school's name indicates that some or all students aren't required to supply scores; a (3) indicates that the school did not supply all students it has scores for, or did not tell U.S. News if it had; a (4) indicates that the data is from a previous year, rather than from the most recent year; and a (9) indicates that the school may not require scores from all applicants and that it may not have submitted data for all students.

Here are the smartest public colleges in America:

Smarts Rank                        SchoolAverage SAT
1Georgia Institute of Technology1400
2University of California—​Berkeley1390
3University of Michigan—​Ann Arbor1380
4College of William and Mary1370
5University of Virginia1355
6Colorado School of Mines1340
6United States Air Force Academy1340
8University of California—​Los Angeles1325
9University of Maryland—​College Park1315
10University of North Carolina—​Chapel Hill1305
10University of Illinois—​Urbana-​Champaign1305
12University of California—​San Diego1300
12Ohio State University—​Columbus1300
14Binghamton University—​SUNY1290
15University of Wisconsin—​Madison1285
15Missouri University of Science & Technology1285
15United States Naval Academy1285
18University of Texas—​Austin1280
18New College of Florida1280
20United States Military Academy1275
21University of Pittsburgh1270
22University of Florida1265
22University of Minnesota—​Twin Cities1265
22United States Merchant Marine Academy1265
25Clemson University1255
25University of Texas—​Dallas1255
25United States Coast Guard Academy1255
28University of California—​Santa Barbara1250
28University of Connecticut1250
28Stony Brook University—​SUNY1250
31Miami University—​Oxford1245
31North Carolina State University—​Raleigh1245
31Florida State University1245
31Michigan Technological University1245
35University of Georgia1235
36University of Washington1230
37University of Colorado—​Boulder1225
37Auburn University1225
37University of Alabama—​Huntsville1225
37CUNY—​Baruch College (3)1225
37Truman State University1225
37California Polytechnic State University—​San Luis Obispo (3)1225
43SUNY—​Geneseo1220
44University of California—​Davis1215
44Virginia Tech1215
44Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—​New Brunswick (3)1215
44University of Massachusetts—​Amherst1215
44College of New Jersey1215
49University of Maryland—​Baltimore County1210
50Purdue University—​West Lafayette1205
50University of Alabama1205
50University of Tennessee1205
50University of South Carolina1205
54University of Delaware1200
55University of North Carolina—​Asheville1195
56Pennsylvania State University—​University Park1190
56New Jersey Institute of Technology1190
56University of North Carolina—​Wilmington1190
59Texas A&M University—​College Station1185
59SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry1185
59University of Vermont1185
59University of Oklahoma1185
59University of Central Florida1185
59New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology1185
65University of California—​Irvine1175
65Indiana University—​Bloomington1175
67Michigan State University1165
67University of Iowa1165
67University of Missouri1165
67Louisiana State University—​Baton Rouge1165
67University of Arkansas1165
67University of Cincinnati1165
67CUNY—​Hunter College1165
74University of South Florida1160
74Virginia Military Institute (3)1160
76Christopher Newport University (2)1155
77University at Buffalo—​SUNY1150
77George Mason University (2)1150
77Salisbury University (9)1150
77Appalachian State University1150
81University of California—​Santa Cruz1145
81University of Nebraska—​Lincoln1145
81Iowa State University1145
81University of Kansas1145
81Arizona State University—​Tempe (2)1145
81University of Kentucky1145
81Kansas State University (2)1145
81Oklahoma State University1145
81University of Massachusetts—​Lowell1145
81University of Louisville (3)1145
81University of Houston1145
81University of Minnesota—​Morris1145
81University of Wisconsin—​La Crosse1145
94James Madison University1140
94University of South Florida—​St. Petersburg1140
96University of California—​Riverside1130
96College of Charleston1130
96Georgia College & State University1130
99University of Utah1125
99Colorado State University1125
99University of Illinois—​Chicago (3)1125
99Mississippi State University1125
99University of Wyoming1125
99Montana State University1125
99Montana Tech of the University of Montana1125

SEE ALSO: The 50 smartest colleges in America

DON'T MISS: The 50 best colleges in America

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I did a grueling celebrity boot camp workout for 5 days straight — and something amazing happened

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Barrys Bootcamp 6575

With sexy red lighting, high-energy music, and plenty of beautiful people coated in sweat, Barry's Bootcamp is more like a nightclub than a gym.

The popular fitness studio debuted in California in 1998. Today, it has 18 locations — plus one on the way on New York's Upper East Side — spread across the US, Norway, and England. Its celebrity fans include everyone from Kim Kardashian to Jake Gyllenhaal, who was recently spotted at the chain's Noho location.

Barry's offers five different classes focusing on specific body parts. A single class can burn up to 1,000 calories. I decided to try all five over the course of five days — and something amazing happened.

By the end of the painful week of sprints and intervals, I'd shaved over a minute off my average mile time.

Here's a glimpse of what my week at Barry's was like.

SEE ALSO: I tried Throwback Fitness, the playground-inspired workout studio that's like summer camp for adults

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My mornings begin at 6 a.m. at the Chelsea studio. Barry's Bootcamp has three locations in Manhattan, two in the Hamptons, and six in California and one location in Florida, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.



I walk in, grab a towel, and mentally prepare for the class ahead. Most locations offer free towel service and locker rooms with Digilock lockers and Malin and Goetz beauty products.



Sometimes I stop by the studio's FuelBar for a protein smoothie. You can place your order before class and it'll be perched on the counter waiting for you afterward.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Taylor Swift reportedly dropped $25 million on this legendary Beverly Hills estate

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taylor swift beverly hills

Taylor Swift reportedly spent $25 million on a Beverly Hills mansion that previously belonged to legendary film producer Samuel Goldwyn, Variety reports

The sale closed at the beginning of September, though the buyer was masked behind an LLC with a Nashville address. Variety, citing multiple unnamed sources, is now reporting that the mystery buyer was indeed Swift. 

The 11,000-square-foot mansion would be Swift's second in Beverly Hills — she also owns a $3.55 million home there, in addition to properties in New York City, Rhode Island, and two in Nashville.

The Goldwyn Estate has six bedrooms, a tennis court, guest apartment, swimming pool, and large gardens. Goldwyn frequently used his home to host stars of the golden age of Hollywood, including Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Bette Davis, and Frank Capra. Though Goldwyn died in 1974, the estate had belonged to his son, the late Samuel Goldwyn Jr., ever since.

Swift addressed Variety's report in a tweet Tuesday.

Since the sale closed earlier in September (and she had been in Los Angeles for the VMAs around the same time) it's still very possible that Swift was the buyer.  

SEE ALSO: Personal finance guru Suze Orman is selling her Plaza apartment for $4.5 million

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7 sneaky ways gyms trick you into buying a membership

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lying down gym

It's happened to most all of us: We lock ourselves into a gym membership, thinking we'll go more than three times a week if we're paying a monthly fee. 

After one month of treadmill struggles, we lose motivation.

This is exactly what gyms want.

While most companies would flop if no one showed up, at a gym, emptiness means success.

"Gyms want to be this product that everyone buys, but no one actually uses," Caitlin Kenney and Stacy Vanek Smith explain on NPR's Planet Money podcast, "The Planet Money Workout."

For this business model to work, gyms need to tailor to a specific customer: the person that thinks they're going to work out, but rarely will — the "casual customer."

Here are seven strategies gyms use to get you to buy that membership:

SEE ALSO: A former car salesman reveals 4 tricks dealers use to get you to spend — and how to outsmart them

They hide the gym equipment.

Walk into most gyms today and you won't see cardio machines or weights. Rather, you'll see a snazzy lounge and inviting welcome desk.

This design serves a very specific purpose, Rudy Fabiano, an architect who has designed over 500 gyms all over the world, tells NPR. Loud machines, hefty looking equipment, and sweaty weight lifters are intimidating — not impressive — to the casual customer.

In Fabiano's most recently designed gym in Chelsea, Manhattan, the sweat and clanking of weights is well hidden: The actual gym part is down a set of stairs, through a lounge, and behind a wall. 



They design the welcome lobby to look a cocktail lounge.

Instead of laying eyes on equipment upon entering, gyms have created reception areas designed to make you feel like you're in a fancy restaurant or hotel lobby. The less the gym looks like a gym, the better, Fabiano explains to NPR.

In fact, his latest gym in Chelsea — with clear doors, a white marble welcome desk, and a swanky lounge — resembles a bar more so than a gym. This is completely intentional, as out-of-shape people feel comfortable in bars, he explains, and gyms want to attract this type of customer. 

"This kind of design gets you in the door," Kenney and Vanek Smith explain. "Suddenly, you're imagining yourself sitting in those chairs, chatting with a friend, and before you know it, you're shelling out money for a yearly membership."



They offer perks that aren't directly related to exercise.

Gyms are trying to sell an experience beyond just sweating on a treadmill and pounding weights. To appeal to the casual customer, they offer less intimidating features that don't require much physical activity, such as massage chairs, saunas, and café's.

Many customers end up tricking themselves into thinking they're working out and using the gym consistently, when in reality, they're simply lounging. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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This new app solves one of the most embarrassing problems you can have on Instagram

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screen322x572Instagram is great, but sometimes it seems like the company is neglecting one of the most fun and potentially unhealthy aspects of the app — good ol' fashioned Instagram stalking.

We’ve all been there.

You just want to check up on how an ex is doing and suddenly you’re scrutinizing the comments section and trying to figure out whether that's her new boyfriend.

It’s normal. Maybe not good for you, but definitely normal.

But there are all sorts of things that can go wrong while you are Instagram stalking someone. Who can forget that feeling of dread when you accidentally double-tap on a photo late at night, mistakenly "liking" the photo.

These problems are what a new app, Instasnoop, is focused on fixing.

The app creates an alternative universe for you to safely snoop around to your heart’s content. Instasnoop links to your Instagram and lets you browse, but only in very specific ways.

Here’s what it does:

  1. You can’t “like” anything. As the developers put it, “You can look at an Instagram profile without accidentally liking an image and having to delete your account, move to China, and never resurface on social media again.” Preach.
  2. You can pinch to zoom. Because you definitely need to know who the heck was in the background of that shot.
  3. You can create a "Snooplist." This is powerful. Your Snooplist is who you want to follow without letting them know that you follow them.
  4. Lastly, you can view a snapshot of your own Instagram network, easily seeing who you follow who doesn’t follow you back.

Instasnoop is everything you wanted Instagram to give you, but weren’t sure you could really handle. Now we’ll see — the power is in your hands.

Download the app on iOS for free.

SEE ALSO: This 23-year-old model who was discovered on Instagram just made history for H&M

Join the conversation about this story »

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How to fake a British accent

I took a ride on the Rolls-Royce of buses — and it was better than Amtrak

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Amtrak 17

The modern airport experience is not an enjoyable one.

Security lines, forever-rising ticket prices, and seemingly arbitrary fees all create a stressful and pricey experience for inter-city travel.

Some are looking to other forms of transportation for an alternative. Amtrak had record ridership numbers in 2014, tallying 11.6 million passengers along the Northeast Corridor alone.

And a study from the Chaddick Institute shows that inter-city bus ridership has also risen by an increase of 2.1% since 2013.

Yet buses are cramped and slow, earning their spot at the bottom rung of the transportation ladder. Trains aren't getting any faster, either, as the nation's rickety rail infrastructure ages and high-speed proposals are stymied.

I travel from New York City to Boston frequently, usually by bus, but after countless trips with my legs folded up like origami in uncomfortable seats, I'd just about had enough.

I had heard about LimoLiner, a luxury bus service that makes three round-trips between New York and Boston Monday through Thursday every week. It makes more trips between the two cities over the weekend.

With perks like free meals and individual leather seats, LimoLiner made Megabus sound like a stagecoach by comparison.

On a recent trip to Boston, I decided to compare LimoLiner with an Amtrak regional train to see which one offered a more comfortable experience for the price — and I was surprised by what I found.

SEE ALSO: I took a ride to New York City's first new subway station in over 25 years

I was pretty excited to be taking the train after so many terrible bus rides to Boston and back. I boarded the Amtrak train at Penn Station, a cavernous and ill-conceived tangle of walkways and escalators beneath Madison Square Garden in New York. No one wants to go to Penn Station.



The train left right on time after a painless boarding process, and within five minutes we were zipping through Queens.



At $128 one-way, the train isn't wildly expensive, but it's not exactly the lap of luxury. Of course, the prices differ depending on the departure time. My train left at 7 a.m.



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Meet the man behind the corporate world's most incredible parties — and see his stunning work

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ron wendt

Event designer Ron Wendt knows exactly how much huge corporations spend on annual parties and intimate events. 

He works regularly with J.P. Morgan, Coller Capital, and First Republic bank, as well as glittering lifestyle brands like Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton. 

I ask him how he's cultivated such an elite clientele, and he answers, "Discretion, discretion, discretion!" 

While I can guess how much he spends on florals flown in from Holland and custom table linens, he'll never tell. 

What he will say is that, since the recession, his corporate clients have been "very careful about showing off." 

On the difference between fashion and finance clients, he tells me, "In finance, the story is a little more subtle, but with fashion or jewelry, the story is more detailed."

He adds of his corporate clientele, "Good quality tablecloths are something they ask for." Naturally, Wendt makes all of his fabrics in-house. 

With holiday parties looming, the fall and winter months are Wendt's busiest time of year. "Right now I'm working on the holiday press event for Tiffany's," he says. On whether he designs private events for New York's richest CEOs and hedgefunders, the answer is a resounding yes — but he doesn't name names. 

Below, he explains the finer details that went into planning four events for some of his top corporate clients. 

Wendt has a long relationship with J.P. Morgan. "They often have important, intimate dinners in their board room for 20 or 22 guests," he says. "They'll have an evening with an author, sometimes they'll have an evening with a former government official." The florals seen here (delphiniums and hydrangeas from Holland) were chosen to complement the recently acquired piece of art on the wall.



What are the signatures of a J.P. Morgan event? First, low floral arrangements. "You have to make sure that things are super low so they can converse," says Wendt. Second, extremely high quality materials that look "understated."



Private bank and wealth management company First Republic asked Wendt to design its swanky holiday party. The crowd was younger, so he created a winter white room...



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Chinese scientists want to sell these teensy genetically-engineered pigs as pets

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micropig

Chinese scientists made headlines earlier this year when they used a powerful new technique to edit the genomes of human embryos, sparking ethical debate among scientists.

Now, another group of researchers have created genetically engineered "micro-pigs" which they want to sell as pets, Nature News recently reported.

Researchers at the genomics institute BGI in Shenzhen used gene editing to modify Bama pigs

Bama pigs are already teensy — they weigh about half as much as regular farm pigs.

BGI plans to sell the little creatures for about 10,000 yuan (US$1,600), institute representatives announced on September 23 at the Shenzhen International Biotech Leaders Summit in China.

In the future, customers will be able to order pigs with customized coat colors and patterns, they said.

Gene editing has been sweeping the biology world, largely thanks to a technique known as CRISPR/Cas9 that makes it incredibly easy. The technology opens up the possibility of curing genetic diseases and giving people, animals or crops more desirable traits.

The Chinese scientists who modified the pigs didn't use CRISPR/Cas9, but a different gene editing technique that involves proteins known as TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases), which can target a specific gene and disable it.

To make the micropigs, they cloned a Bama pig and used TALENs to disable one of the two copies of a gene for growth hormone receptors. Because the cloned pigs lacked these receptors, they don't grow to a normal size. Next, they bred some of the cloned male pigs with regular female pigs.

Half of the offspring were micro-sized.

The micropigs have already been used in studies of stem cells and gut microbes, and the animals' small size makes it easier to replace the microbes in the animals' guts, the researchers say. The pigs could also be used to study Laron syndrome, a form of dwarfism caused by a mutation in the human version of the growth hormone receptor gene.

By selling the animals as pets, the BGI researchers hope to raise money for their research.

And it's not just pigs — soon we may be seeing genetically edited dogs and cats as well. Technically speaking, gene editing is not all that different from conventional breeding techniques, although it vastly speeds up the process.

While the pigs are undeniably cute, we still don't know whether tinkering with these animals' DNA could cause medical problems, and experts say we need regulations to ensure its done safely.

NEXT UP: Chinese scientists just admitted to tweaking the genes of human embryos for the first time in history

SEE ALSO: This is the game-changing technology that's just been used to genetically modify a human embryo

Join the conversation about this story »

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How to get a US passport renewed in 24 hours

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passport lineYou've been asked to travel to a foreign country on business the next day, but your passport has expired. 

Don't panic.

It's surprisingly easy to get a US passport renewed in 24 hours.

Here's how.

  1. Find the closest Passport Agency to you. Don't make the mistake of using special, non-government agencies that charge up to $500, and ultimately just go through the Passport Agency. Not near an agency? Check whether there’s a Passport Acceptance Facility nearby, or call the National Passport Information Center to see what else can be done.
  2. Have imminent travel plans and be able to prove it. Most (though not all) agencies will need proof that your trip is scheduled within two weeks in order to make an appointment, or that you need to submit your passport for a visa within 28 days.
  3. Call to make an appointment, or just walk in to the agency, but be ready to wait in long lines with a number, DMV style.
  4. If your passport was lost, have a copy of your birth certificate with you. In some cases, an iPhone photo of it will suffice.
  5. Bring a new passport-size photo with you to the agency. Surprisingly, passport agencies will not have an area in which to do this.
  6. Fill out the DS-11 application for a U.S. passport, or the DS-82 to renew it.
  7. Be ready to pay a $60 expediting fee, as well as the standard $135  application fee for a new passport, or $110 if you're renewing an expired one.
  8. Wait. It will will take around three to five hours to actually make a passport, so take that into consideration when making your appointment. You can either sit tight at the agency, or leave and come back — they will give you an estimated window of time they're expecting your passport to be ready.
  9. Pick up your passport.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for TSA PreCheck

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7 incredible Japanese destinations that tourists haven’t discovered yet

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Japan is often known by tourists for its most popular attractions, like Mount Fuji, the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, and its amazing shrines and temples.

But there's a lot more to the island nation than that.

We took a look at a Quora thread that asked, "what are some of Japan's best kept secrets," and rounded up some places that might not be in all the guidebooks, but are definitely worth a visit.

Narai-Juku

Narai Juku, Japan

This small, quiet town in the Nagano Prefecture, which sits to the west of Tokyo, is the ideal place to visit if you want to experience Japan as it was centuries ago. The town used to be a stop on the Kiso Way, a trade route that stretched between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo).  Its wooden houses are incredibly well preserved, and since it's located in the Kiso Valley, the scenery is also beautiful.

To learn more about Narai-Juku, click here >

Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel

Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel

This enormous underground channel is located in Saitama, about 20 miles north of Tokyo. It was built as a way to divert flood water during rain and typhoon season. There are close to four miles of tunnels that sit 50 meters under ground, as well as 59 pillars that are attached to pumps capable of dumping 200 tons of water per second into the Edo River. Tours are free, but are conducted exclusively in Japanese, so if you can, bring a native speaker with you on your visit.

Yakushima

Yakushima Japan

The rain forest that sits on Yakushima Island — which is located off the southernmost tip of Kyushu Island in southeastern Japan — is a unique ecosystem that's incredibly diverse. Yakushima boasts 1,900 species and subspecies of flora, 150 bird species, and 16 mammal species. It's home to an ancient species of the sugi — a Japanese cedar — and it's also a UNESCO heritage site. One step inside the forest and you'll feel like you've stepped into a real life fairytale.

Standing Sushi in the Tsukiji Fish Market

Standing Sushi Japan

Instead of going to one of the more touristy dining options near Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market, join one of Japan's "salarymen" in a standing sushi restaurant. These establishments don't offer chopsticks or seats, but they do have good quality fish at cheaper prices. Diners can simply walk up to the bar, grab a plate of whatever looks appetizing, and then eat it right then and there.

Try this sushi bar in Minato, or this one in Shibuya.

Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku

Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku

Japan is known for its onsen — public baths that are located around the country's numerous hot springs. Rotenburo are similar to onsen, but instead of just being a bath, these open air hot springs are usually part of a larger traditional Japanese hotel and spa. The Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku in Minakami-machi is both stunning and luxurious, and tucked away in the midst of nature.

There's a whole etiquette for visiting the onsen (for example, bathers are supposed to be naked and wash themselves before soaking in the baths), so experiencing this is a good way to immerse yourself in Japanese culture.

Rice Terraces

Rice Paddy Japan

Although rice terraces are more commonly associated with southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Bali, they exist in Japan as well. It's worth it to take a trip out to the countryside and walk or bike through the paddies.

The terraces make for breathtaking scenery year around. Autumn is when the rice is harvested, so the crops are ripe and golden. In the summer they're bright green, in the winter they're usually covered in snow, and in the spring the terraces become flooded with water.

Click here for a guide to the country's rice terraces >

Takao Beer Mount

Takao Beer Mount

Similar to a beer garden, this all you can eat and drink buffet is located on top of Mount Takao, which is part of the Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park. This is a great place to sit outside, enjoy a beer, and a great view of Tokyo. Plus, you don't even have to hike to the top, as there's a train that transports visitors up the mount.

For more information on Takao Beer Mount, click here >

SEE ALSO: 4 Japanese laws that surprise most foreigners

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People weighed in on the most common regrets in life, and some of their answers will make you cry

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businesswoman upset

Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and oftentimes it can lead to regret.

Some people have the philosophy that everything happens for a reason, and there is no point in having regrets.

But for so many of us, looking back on our lives can lead us to linger on one poignant moment or period when we wish we had done things differently, and that nagging question, "What if ...?," plays on repeat in our heads.

"This may sound a little melodramatic, but no matter how happy you are, at my age your regrets are countless," writes Quora user Gary Teal in response to the question, "When people look back on their lives, what are common regrets they have?" "You have made decades' worth of little miscalculations you can't completely erase from your memory, as well as a number of big mistakes that made life permanently harder."

Quora user Bradley Voytek points to a national survey about the regrets of a typical American, which found 13 common sources for regret. They are, in order: romance, family, education, career, finance, parenting, health, "other," friends, spirituality, community, leisure, and self.

Vaughn Bell at Mind Hacks notes that there are two ways people frame their regrets: The things they did that they wish they hadn't, and the things they wish they had done but didn't.

"The difference between the two is often a psychological one, because we can frame the same regret either way — as regret about an action: 'If only I had not dropped out of school;' or as a regret about an inaction: 'If only I had stayed in school.'

"Despite the fact that they are practically equivalent, regrets framed as laments about actions were more common and more intense than regrets about inactions, although inaction regrets tended to be longer lasting," Bell writes.

Here are some of the most common regrets as chronicled by Quora users (answers have been edited for clarity): 

SEE ALSO: The guy whose wife famously said women can't have it all tells his side of the story

Romance

"I regret that I never fell in love with someone who was in love with me, when that would have been easy for me to do.

"I regret being like an old song sung by Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'Must I go bound and you so free, Must I love one who doesn't love me, Must I be born with so little art, As to love the one who would break my heart?'" —David Kahana



Children

"For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to have kids. But in my younger years, I foolishly assumed that unlike certain accomplishments like a career, the marriage and kids thing would just happen.

"Well, they didn't. I dated plenty of people but never even thought about making family a priority. Then, in my late 30s, a bout with ovarian cancer left me permanently infertile.

"I think about the kids I never had every day, several times a day. I have a great relationship with my nieces and nephews, and volunteer at a children's hospital on a regular basis, but it's just not the same to be around other people's kids. I would love to adopt or be a foster mother, and hopefully be in a financial and domestic situation that would make this feasible one day.

"But again, not the same. And it pisses me off when people say, "You're lucky you don't have kids, they're so much work, blah blah blah." Yes, but a lot of things in life that are worthwhile are also so much work.

"I think the mothering instinct is so strong in some women that the knowledge that one will never get a chance to give birth and raise their own child goes beyond regret. One that a bar chart cannot capture. I can deal with most of my other regrets in life but am having a hard time dealing with this one." —Caroline Zelonka



Parents

"I regret not choosing to spend more time with my parents in my twenties. I lost my mother in 2000, and I feel the loss of the friendship we never had.

"She was very demanding, very strict, and from the perspective of a young man, very unreasonable. It turned out, as I live through middle age, that most of the ideals I have today ended up being the ones she put on me.

"Sometimes, after a setback, I feel the impulse to call her, and in the second or so that it takes for me to realize she isn't alive to speak to any longer, I realize how much I still need her.

"You cannot negotiate with death. It is final, often sudden, and personal. The last night I had with her, at a hospice in Chicago, I was exhausted and asked her if she minded if I went home. She immediately whispered that absolutely, I should rest, and to be careful driving home. I curled her fingers around the nurses call button, and kissed her on the forehead. I remember I felt some relief that I was leaving.

"I know it didn't make a difference, leaving at that time, or leaving a few hours later. She was going to die either way. But reflecting on that moment today I know then that I didn't understand how precious those minutes were, and how a door was being closed that would never open again." —Jim Wagner



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These mesmerizing maps show just how noisy your city can be

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If you live in a major city, you're probably used to some background noise.

Still, some streets are noisier than others, whether that's because they're close to transportation hubs like airports or there's just a lot of construction in the neighborhood. 

Online real estate platform Trulia enlisted the help of CartoDB to create maps that show the noisiest neighborhoods in New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. The animated maps show the frequency of noise complaints across the city over a five-year span, starting in December 2009 and ending in June 2015.

The maps light up with yellow for each noise complaint and become red as complaints become more frequent in a particular area. 

They're mesmerizing to watch. Here's a look at New York City, where noise complaints appear to be fairly evenly distributed. 

In San Francisco, the noisiest residents appear to be concentrated in the Tenderloin, the Upper Haight, and the Mission.  

And in Seattle, Capitol Hill and the University District get the most noise complaints.  

 

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The 12 most powerful retail companies in America

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walmart store aisle

We recently released our list of the most powerful companies in America, breaking down which ones command the most influence.

To determine how powerful each company is, we factored together revenue, number of employees, press mentions, and social media influence as ranked on a scale of 1 to 100 by Klout, a site that analyzes social-media influence. You can read our full methodology here.

Walmart took the top spot on our list, and Target came in at No. 2.

In fact, many of the companies on the list fell within the retail realm, so we broke these companies out here into their own separate list.

Keep scrolling to see the most powerful retail companies in America.

SEE THE FULL LIST: The 50 most powerful companies in America

SEE ALSO: The 9 most powerful finance companies in America

12. eBay

2014 revenue: $17.9 billion

Number of employees: 34,600

In 2014, the California-based e-commerce giant announced it would be splitting eBay and PayPal into two companies. EBay still runs Skype and StubHub, but PayPal has been its principal source of growth since the company was bought by eBay in 2002.

Still, eBay, now in its 20th year of operation, has a huge command over online shoppers spanning 203 markets worldwide. It's powerful online, as well: The company has a Klout score of 94.



11. Costco

2014 revenue: $110.2 billion

Number of employees: 195,000

Wholesale-discount-superstore Costco consistently outperforms competitors Walmart and Target due to its concentration on driving sales. While other stores split their focus between marketing, sales, and more, Costco keeps its eye on the prize — to the tune of more than $100 billion in revenue last year.

And more than just home goods and food, Costco is also a growing force in car sales, likely due to its fixed prices. But despite its over 1.2 million Facebook fans, no Klout score is available for the Issaquah, Washington-based company.



10. Starbucks

2014 revenue: $16.4 billion

Number of employees: 191,000

Starbucks, the fifth-most admired brand in the world, according to Fortune, is more pervasive than ever. With 22,000 retail stores in 66 countries, the Seattle-based coffee retailer spent most of 2014 dedicated to going green and launching plans to send its employees to college and hire more of America's military families and veterans. Some of its stores are also rolling out beer, wine, and gourmet food options.

Starbucks has a Klout score of 84 and nearly 10 million followers on Twitter.



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