The Wall House in Cascais, Portugal, looks like paradise. Its most distinctive features are the pools. One is on the ground floor, right in the middle of the big patio. The other one is suspended above it with a glass bottom, making you feel like you're swimming in air.
Written by Jacob Shamsian and produced by Carl Mueller
Follow INSIDER on Facebook
Follow INSIDERon YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
Mariusz Kędzierski is a 23-year-old Polish artist. He was born with no hands, but that hasn't stopped him from making remarkably detailed drawings. He says his goal is to inspire others to go beyond their limitations.
Written and produced by A.C. Fowler
Follow INSIDER Peopleon Facebook
Follow INSIDERon YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
At a USC fundraising gala on Wednesday, billionaire tech tycoon Larry Ellison announced that he's donating $200 million to help the center's famed doctor start a brand new kind of cancer research center.
This is one of the largest donations in the university's history, and the school says that the research center's name will reflect that: It will be called the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC.
The new center is the brainchild of Dr. David Agus, the professor of medicine and engineering at USC and New York Times best-selling author of books like "The End of Illness" and "A Short Guide to a Long Life." Agus already currently heads USC's Westside Cancer Center and the Center for Applied Molecular Medicine.
But this new treatment center will be different. It will research and try new cancer treatments by blending current forms of research like proteomics (the study of proteins), molecular biology, and genetics with cutting edge engineering technology like nanotechnology (engineering and technology conducted at the nanoscale — a billionth of a meter — meaning a sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.)
And it will bring together experts in all sorts of other fields including physics, biology, math, engineering, and the arts. Chefs will also help the center investigate how nutrition affects cancer, Agus explained to Fortune's Michal Lev-Ram.
“We haven’t really studied how food affects the disease, what diet is the best medicine,” explains Agus. “We want to get people who do food the best to get together with the scientists.”
And the artists? Because art.
Agus told Lev-Ram that the idea came about two years ago when he was treating Steve Jobs, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2011. Jobs was Larry Ellison's best friend.
Jobs turned to Agus and asked "Why can’t you debug me?" Agus recalls.
Ellison got to know Agus better when Ellison asked him to take on a relatives' case.
Two years ago, the doctor and Ellison, the billionaire cofounder of software giant Oracle, were talking in Malibu. That's when Agus mentioned his idea for this new cancer research/treatment facility and Ellison loved it, vowing to support it when Agus got the details sorted out and the university to back it.
The facility is expected to break ground in about six months.
SEE ALSO: How to find out everything Google knows about you
Join the conversation about this story »
NOW WATCH: An MIT PhD candidate built the cutest robot we've seen
Trading firm BTIG held its 14th annual Commissions for Charity day on Tuesday, and a slew of celebrities flocked to the trading floors.
The baseball player Alex Rodriguez, model Petra Nemcova, basketball star Shaquille O'Neal, and some 70 other A-listers spent the day as "guest traders," taking calls from clients.
BTIG's cofounder, Steven Starker, was there chatting with all the celebrities too.
Commissions from the trades BTIG made were donated to various charities.
Have a look a look inside.
Many people dream about hitting at least one epic party in their lifetime, whether it's Oktoberfest in Germany or Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
To help get your bucket list started, we've found 37 of the biggest and wildest parties around the globe.
From dancing in a whirlwind of colors at India's Holi festival to throwing tomatoes during La Tomatina, Spain's massive food fight, these are the parties that are worth traveling around the world for.
SEE ALSO: 32 incredible courses every golfer should play in their lifetime
DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!
Click here to learn more about EXIT »
Click here to learn more about Koninginnedag »
Click here to learn more about the Open'er Festival »
"Shark Tank" co-star and entrepreneur Daymond John talks about the early days when he was broke and starting FUBU. He tells us what advantages being broke gave him when he started out.
Produced by Joe Avella & Richard Feloni
Follow BI Video: On Twitter
Join the conversation about this story »
Billy Angel Cake Company in Seoul, South Korea, makes a colorful and fruity crepe cake. The masterpiece is made with 20 individual crepes and five different flavors: strawberry, orange, banana, melon and grape. Flavored mousse is spread between the layers.
Written by Eloise Kirn and produced by David Fang
Follow INSIDER Food on Facebook
Follow INSIDER on YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
Resource Furniture, a company that specializes in space-saving furniture, sells the LGM Tavolo. It's a bookshelf that doubles as both a bed and a table. It allows you to have three bedroom essentials all in one convenient place.
Written by Ian Phillips and produced by David Fang
Follow INSIDER on Facebook
Follow INSIDER on YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
China's technology sector is booming at an intensely fast pace. Many startups are seeing their business grow faster than they can hire, placing a heavy burden on those already working within the industry.
"The pace of Chinese internet company growth is extremely fast," Cui Meng, general manager and cofounder of data startup Goopal, told Reuters. "I've been to the US and the competitive environment there isn't as intense as in China."
This has led many workers to put in overtime, sleeping at their desks, on cots, or even in provided bunk beds. Many employees are encouraged to live at the office during the workweek. Lunchtime naps are generally allowed, and those who end up staying past midnight usually pass out in the office.
Reuters photographer Jason Lee recently got an inside look at the phenomenon. Here's what he saw:
SEE ALSO: 20 photos that show how insanely crowded China has become
Winnie Harlow, 21, was diagnosed with vitiligo at age 4, and was bullied by her peers when she was younger. Now, the former America's Next Top Model contestant is making major waves in the fashion industry, including a recent cameo in Beyonce's new visual album "Lemonade."
Written and produced by Alana Yzola
Join the conversation about this story »
As the head of culinary at meal kit delivery startup Plated, Elana Karp knows a thing or two about making cooking as approachable as possible.
She and culinary manager Suzanne Dumaine head up the five-person team who carefully plans out the recipes that Plated subscribers can make with the ingredient kits they get in the mail. The emphasis is on creating locally-sourced, pre-portioned meals that even the newest of cooks can make at home, without sacrificing time or nutrition.
And now Karp and Dumaine are about to release a brand-new cookbook based on the techniques they've used in their work for Plated.
"The book is anchored on Plated-style recipes with respect to key techniques and very detailed instruction, but it enabled us to elaborate on those with different types of recipes, from Thanksgiving dinner to brunch to desserts and side dishes," Karp told Business Insider. "We were also able to make the recipes more flexible, allowing you to take each recipe and customize it by season, occasion, and the amount of time you have in the kitchen, whether it's 30 minutes or 2 days."
That means the recipes cover a lot of ground, from a simple pan-roasted salmon with seasonal vegetables to a somewhat more complicated roast Peking duck. The authors also include some beginner's tips, like how to wield a chef's knife and how to make basic sauces.
Karp and Dumaine shared some of their best advice for those who are just getting started in the kitchen. Their book, "Plated: Weeknight Dinners, Weekend Feasts, and Everything in Between", will be released May 17, though it is currently available for pre-order.
SEE ALSO: What it's like to eat at the best restaurant in California, where a meal will cost you $310 a person
DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!
It's important not to try to do too much before learning the basics.
"Don't bite off more than you can chew while you're still getting comfortable in the kitchen. There are plenty of easy and delicious recipes that don't require a million pots and pans or hours of prep," Karp said. "If you plan around what you know you'll have time for, you can get something great on the table without sweating over it."
One of the Plated team's favorites is their One-Pan Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables (pictured above).
"It's an easy recipe that teaches core techniques, it's so easy to customize by season, and always creates that 'ta-da' moment when the chicken comes out of the oven, smelling (and looking) amazing," Karp said. "It always makes people feel proud."
"We can't overstate the importance of knowing how to hold and use your knife, and getting comfortable with it," Karp said. "The better you become at prepping your food, the quicker you'll be able to prepare your food and even tackle more ambitious recipes (without panicking at the sight of the ingredient prep ahead)."
The magic of a good marinade is that it will both amp up the flavor of your dish and save you serious time. Karp and Dumaine devoted an entire section of their cookbook to perfecting marinades.
"A marinade only requires a few ingredients and a whisk, and will automatically infuse your food with tremendous flavor — no major prep needed," Karp said. "With certain cuts of meat, you can even marinate up to 24 hours, so no need to babysit.
Candice Kumai is a chef, wellness journalist and the author of "Clean Green Eats: 100+ Clean-Eating Recipes to Improve Your Whole Life." INSIDER stopped by her New York City kitchen to watch her prepare a kale Caesar salad — a healthy alternative to traditional, high-calorie Caesar salads.
Kumai shared her recipe for the low-calorie salad:
Dressing ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt 2% buy both
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, sea salt, and Worcestershire sauce.
Next, add rinsed kale, apple slices, hemp seed, watermelon radish, micro basil. and avocado, and voilà — you've got a healthy Caesar.
Written by Lisa Ryan and produced by Stephen Parkhurst
Follow INSIDER food on Facebook
Follow INSIDER on YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
So you want to be happier, healthier, and more successful in 2016?
Faced with unlimited advice and little time to spare, it's hard to know where to start.
#BIBetter is a 21-day self-improvement program designed for the busy professional, featuring a few habits that will make a big difference and a bunch of tasks that most of us have been putting off for too long.
We recommend participating with at least one other person, so you have more fun and keep each other in check. You can start on any Monday and should complete actions on their specified day when possible.
The following slides go through the days and the science behind them in detail. You can also reference our infographic calendar.
SEE ALSO: 33 business books every professional should read before turning 30
Believe it or not, as many as 50% of Americans say they don't floss every day. If you are one of those people, then make today the day you start doing it consistently.
How can you get in the habit?
Stanford psychologist B.J. Fogg is one of the foremost researchers on habit formation. The takeaway from all his work: Floss one tooth.
As in, if you're trying to form a habit, it can be helpful to start as small as possible, with a minimum viable habit. The point, Fogg emphasizes, is to insert the structure of the activity in your day, rather than doing it perfectly every time. This way of thinking works for all habits, and it works for flossing, too — and if you floss the whole mouth, then you're doing even better.
Indeed, this core dental hygiene technique will clean your teeth and gums of plaque, protecting your teeth as you age and saving you on dental bills. Some studies have even found that flossing is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
For a wide range of ailments, exercise is an almost magical cure, which "can improve memory and concentration, lessen sleep disorders, aid heart disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure, help sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, and raise low libido," notes Slate.
Just a little bit of exercise has huge benefits. Research shows that running just five to 10 minutes a day can add years to your life, and if you establish that minimum habit now of doing at least that, you can build on it. A seven-minute workout using interval training can make a huge difference.
Longer workouts are obviously great, too.
Think you're too busy to work out? Tell that to GE CEO Jeff Immelt, who gets up at 5:30 every morning for a cardio workout; or Xerox CEO Ursula Burns who has an hour of personal training at 6 a.m. twice a week; or Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, who gets up similarly early to take six-mile jogs; or Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who likes to ride his bike every morning.
Psychologists have been studying "expressive writing," or journaling about difficult moments in your life, for a few decades. They've found that a few minutes journaling improves everything from mood to immune system to sporting performance.
It works for work, too: A Harvard Business School study found that people who wrote about their jobs improved their performance by 23%.
"When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in self-efficacy," says HBS professor Francesca Gino. "They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they're doing and what they learn."
So as a part of this life-improvement adventure, we're asking you to reflect on your day, plus on whatever journeys we send you on. You should also take the opportunity to look at the tasks that lie ahead and start making plans for the ones that require preparation.
If you find journaling to be useful, then we encourage you to keep it up for the rest of your life.
Momofuku Milk Bar has managed to make a cake that looks like a rainbow dream and tastes like the Funfetti flavor you loved as a kid, all while using only the finest ingredients.
Don't fret if you don't live near one of the bakery's seven locations — the famous cake can be shipped nationwide, or you can learn how to make it yourself.
Story by Aly Weisman and editing by Jeremy Dreyfuss
Follow INSIDER Food on Facebook
Follow INSIDERon YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has just sold his Seattle-area home for roughly $2.8 million, according to the LA Times.
That's slightly less than the $3.5 million he had initially asked for in January, but still double what he paid for when he first bought the house in 2000.
The house, which was initially listed on Redfin, has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, including more than 4,000 square feet of open space.
"Clean lines and sleek steel anchor the free-flowing layout," Redfin writes to describe the house.
Let's take a look inside the place Nadella lived for the last 15 years:
SEE ALSO: The incredible real-estate portfolio of Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen
This luxury yard furniture is basically a flying couch. It's called a Kodama Zome, a modern spin on a style of geometric design that was first popularized back in the late 1960's. The pod — a comfy couch that seats three — is suspended from either a long rope or a special stand, so there's plenty of room for truly dynamic lounging. A Kodama Zome costs $5,400, not including the stand or other hanging equipment.
Written by James Grebey and produced by Carl Mueller
Join the conversation about this story »
20-year-old Hugo Cornellier has taken a selfie every day for 8 years. This compilation of roughly 2,500 pictures shows his amazing transformation.
Written and produced by David Fang
Follow INSIDER on Facebook
Follow INSIDER on YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
With all of the lavish Las Vegas experiences in which to indulge, this one may be the most unique — and expensive. At $250,000 a night, this table at Hyde Bellagio comes with a spectacular perk.
Produced by Justin Gmoser. Additional camera by Darren Weaver.
Follow BI Video: On Twitter
Join the conversation about this story »
If you've ever wondered what it would feel like to drive 33,000 pounds of armored steel over a junk car, you only need to make your way to Blue Ridge, Georgia - and fork over $550 - to find out. Civilians can take the controls of a real military tank, complete with a driving lesson, at Tank Town USA.
Written by Chloe Miller and produced by Carl Mueller
Follow INSIDER on Facebook
Follow INSIDER on YouTube
Join the conversation about this story »
