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This is what the world's greatest cities would look like without light pollution

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If you live in a big city, you might have noticed that you have trouble seeing the stars. That's because of light pollution, which happens when artificial light is directed towards the sky and reflects back onto earth.

Among various other consequences, it washes out the night sky in urban areas.

Luckily, filmmaker David Lennon has sort of found a solution. Lennon mixed city skylines with the Tasmanian night sky to show a world without light pollution. The amazing results show what cities like Los Angeles, London, and Singapore would look like with all their lights turned off.

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Chelsea Pineda

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The 'Seinfeld' cast recorded these awesome birthday wishes for a terminally ill fan

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"Seinfeld" superfan Jim Calder died on November 7, a few days shy of his birthday.

Wanting to give his terminally ill father an early birthday gift, Jim's son, James, decided to put together a video of birthday wishes. But besides asking friends and family to wish his father a happy birthday, James got a little more ambitious and decided to reach out to the cast of "Seinfeld."

They were more than happy to participate, and more than a dozen cast members such as Wayne Knight (Newman), Patrick Warburton (David Putty), and Larry Thomas (The Soup Nazi) sent Jim personalized birthday messages, which the younger Calder then compiled on his YouTube page.

Of the four main cast members, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine) and Michael Richards (Kramer) wished Calder a happy birthday. Richards even reached out with a personal phone call.

"I'm so thrilled and happy to hear how much you've enjoyed 'Seinfeld' along with your family; that's a great joy, so thank you for that," Louis-Dreyfus said in her video. "You have a wonderful son who clearly adores you, so, congratulations on that; you did that very well. And, third, I just wanted to say happy birthday. I hope it's a great one, and I'm wishing you the very best. Have fun."

You can now make donations to the American Cancer Society in Jim Calder's name

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Ben Nigh

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There's a reason men are dressing better

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master of none aziz ansari

You've probably noticed men are dressing better. They're worried about how their shirts fit, and they're buying cool glasses. They're joining "shave clubs" and matching their belts to their shoes. Yes, people, men are accessorizing.

"Gone is the era of metro sexual, and the idea that normal dudes can't dress well," said Mark Bollman, founder of Boston-based men's retailer Ball and Buck. "As I always tell our customers, you can't be afraid to look good."

But they once were. What changed? The internet. It has changed the experience of shopping for men. There are no lines; there's no waiting. That's why, according to researcher IBISWorld, menswear has seen more growth in e-commerce than any other category — about 16.7% annualized over the past five years. And the same report projects it will grow an additional 15% annualized over the next five years.

menswear ecommerce growth chart


Brick-and-mortar shops, like Bollman's Ball and Buck, have responded to this trend by improving the men's shopping experience generally.

"Shopping is every guy's worst nightmare, unless you're shopping at a serious man cave like Ball and Buck where you can kickback on a leather couch and get a hot towel shave," Bollman said. "For all other things the best answer is turning to the inter webs where free shipping and generous return/exchange policy's mean that if it doesn't fit how you expected, you can easily swap it out. For the holidays many stores run extended return policy's online to accommodate gifting."

This is news to a lot of men.

average annual sales growth chart ecommerce menswear

Who needs a brick?

The internet has changed the game for retailers, lowering costs now that brick-and-mortars aren't necessary for sales. Warby Parker was one of the first brands to take advantage of this trend in menswear, but others have followed, selling a wider array of products than just glasses. Selection has exploded.

Leading the e-commerce high-end shoe space you have brands like Paul Evans and Jack Erwin promising high quality at a lower price. In suits you have brands like Indochino and Suit Supply in the $300-to-$900 range. But prices can go lower. Men who want a lower-priced suit ($200) but want to look better than a JoS. A Bank commercial are heading to Combatant Gentlemen for everything from a bag to a dozen white oxford shirts.

suede paul evans 400Founded in 2010, the company has had the distinction of becoming the most shipped menswear package at Goldman Sachs, according to cofounder Vishaal Melwani.

Melwani is a third-generation Versace tailor. He grew up watching celebrities go in and out of the secret door in the Versace store in his hometown of Las Vegas and cut his teeth making selvage denim. After selling one jean company, he decided he wanted to do something bigger. Something that used technology to make it easier for men to dress.

"I like the age-old saying 'Keep it simple, stupid,'" Melwani told Business Insider. "A lot of people think it has to cost a lot of money to look great, but that's not true. The basics are all you need to set your wardrobe off on the right foot, whether that be a few pairs of tailored slacks, a great cotton blazer that works with everything, or a pair of desert boots."

"These things don't have to cost a fortune, and once you find the right fit, all it takes are simple, versatile, and essential pieces to dress smarter," he added.

Part of the reason they don't cost a fortune at Combat Gent is that Melwani vertically integrated his company — owning everything down to the sheep that provide wool for suits. He leveraged his family connections to get his fabric produced at the same Italian mills that Versace used.

Combat Gent went as far as making a video to introduce its customers to the owners of the mills making their suits. If you can't learn anything about the spirit of dressing well from these fresh Italian dudes, you can't learn it.

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NOW WATCH: Business dining etiquette rules every professional should know










Here's how to set your iPhone up for a relaxing vacation — even if you're a workaholic (AAPL)

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I don't take many vacations. And when I do, I have a tendency to slip in a little work here and there. And a little more. Until it becomes really not that much of a vacation at all.

(I won't tell you about the time I once answered email for 2 hours by the pool in Hawaii, but my wife will.)

That's bad for my family, it's bad for me, and it's bad for my employers, who know that a fully rested worker is much more productive than a worker who never checks out. So I've come up with a surefire way to make sure I stay fully present, in the here and now, whenever I'm on vacation.

Follow these steps, and you can join me...

SEE ALSO: A woman who quit her job as an investment banker built a new life traveling the world on her own

Because I'm in the news business, I tend to check Twitter a lot. The only way I can prevent myself is by uninstalling the app. I have to tell myself that I really don't care what's happening in the world while I'm on vacation. Plus, if it's really huge news, I'll learn about it from another traveler or on TV.



Next up, Slack. That's the app we use to coordinate workflow here. Bye.



LinkedIn? Nope.



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Psy finally released a song post 'Gangnam Style' — here's why it took so long

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Psy finally released a new song, and it's called "Daddy." It's the first single from his new album, which comes three full years after he rocked the world with "Gangnam Style."

Psy said in a press conference that he felt pressured to make something great after "Gangnam Style," which explains the lag time between songs.

"There were many thoughts going around in my head, including thoughts like, 'If I write like this, it would be not as good as Gangnam Style,'" he said.

Story by Jacob Shamsian and editing by Carl Mueller

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SEE ALSO: The 'Seinfeld' cast recorded these awesome birthday wishes for a terminally ill fan

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Here's how to play the game that's so addictive it's destroying people's sleep cycles

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1010!

A few weeks ago, my colleague Jim Edwards wrote about a mobile phone game I'd never heard of before called 1010!.

The mobile phone app from Gram Games, Edwards wrote, "is so addictive it will ruin your life and make your friends hate you."

Instead of taking this as the warning it so clearly was, I was intrigued, and immediately downloaded the game myself.

Weeks later, I'm hopelessly addicted to 1010!. I play it on the subway. I play it in the elevator and when I'm waiting in line to pick up my lunch down the street. It's the same kind of can't-put-it-down addictive feeling you may have gotten when you started playing 2048 or Candy Crush for the first time.

Here's how you play:

SEE ALSO: I Played The Kim Kardashian iPhone Game, And Now I Finally Get It

This is 1010!. You can download it in the App Store. The game was created last year by Gram Games, a Turkish game developer. Almost immediately, it started going viral in Asia.

 

 



Here's the homescreen, where you're shown your high score. Power users get ridiculously high scores on 1010! — some past 100,000 points — but if you're playing for the first time, you might not crack 500 points. Don't get too discouraged.



You might initially mistake 1010! for Tetris because the game board looks similar. You're also shown shapes that are similar to those in Tetris. But unlike Tetris, where you're forced to fit falling shapes into complete lines to make them disappear, you control the pace of this game. In 1010! you're shown 3 pieces at a time, and you fit them into the big grid. The goal is to create complete columns and rows. You get points for every complete column or row you create, and after you complete each line, it disappears.



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17 things you should definitely ask for the next time you check in to a hotel

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board games

Hotels have a ton of free amenities just waiting for the travelers savvy enough to ask for them.

Since many of these items aren't found in the rooms themselves, guests often don't even realize they're available.

We spoke to representatives from Hilton Worldwide and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, who helped us put together a list of free amenities you should ask for on your next trip.

It turns out you can often get everything from GoPro camera rentals to curling irons sent straight to your room — free.

SEE ALSO: 8 things you should ask for on your next flight

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Phone chargers and adapters

If you forgot your phone charger or just don't have the proper adapter, check with the hotel's front desk; they will often lend out their extras.

Participating hotels include the Sheraton Puerto Rico, which just launched its Energizer Butler program that provides complimentary chargers for a variety of mobile devices. Ditto for Kimpton and Hyatt hotels. 



Better pillows

Some hotels have been trying out pillow menus that allow guests to select their preferred pillows based on different levels of firmness, shapes, and suitability for sleeping habits.

Some help decrease snoring, while others were basically made for a lazy morning in bed. Conrad Hotels offer guests the option to select from their pillow menu or even pre-book their favorites though the mobile concierge app. Acqualina Resort & Spa also offers the service free.



Curling irons and straightening irons

For ladies who forgot to pack a straightening iron or curling iron, several hotels will have them on hand. Hyatt hotels,Kimpton hotels, and the W Paris-Opéra include these items in their list of complimentary amenities on request.



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This Chipotle hack lets you get free Guac

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Everyone loves Chipotle's guacamole — but no one wants to pay extra for it. 

At some locations, the mashed avocado goodness can cost you up to $2 or more. 

Luckily, there's a way to get guacamole without burning a hole in your wallet — by going meatless!

If you order a veggie burrito or bowl with beans and fajita vegetables, you get a heaping scoop of Chipotle guac free of charge. 

Unfortunately, this hack doesn't extend to the Sofritas, Chipotle's spicy tofu. 

But, in the end, the only thing that matters is free guac. 

Story and video by Ben Nigh. 

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This Chipotle hack lets you get free Guac

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Everyone loves Chipotle's guacamole — but no one wants to pay extra for it. 

At some locations, the mashed avocado goodness can cost you up to $2 or more. 

Luckily, there's a way to get guacamole without burning a hole in your wallet — by going meatless!

If you order a veggie burrito or bowl with beans and fajita vegetables, you get a heaping scoop of Chipotle guac free of charge. 

Unfortunately, this hack doesn't extend to the Sofritas, Chipotle's spicy tofu. 

But, in the end, the only thing that matters is free guac. 

Story and video by Ben Nigh. 

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This $700 '3D suit' promises to be the most comfortable you'll ever own — but it's still not a real suit

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3d Suit

Techno-fabric menswear upstart Ministry of Supply makes some pretty bold claims with its newly released "3D suit."

"The problem with suits is that they aren't as comfortable as sweats," reads the copy on their website. "We've set out to change that."

To do that, the first change the company has made to the traditional suit is to throw out the wool — instead, it uses a "soft foam-like" polyester which was "molded three-dimensionally around the human form."

Ministry of Supply claims the fabric "hovers around the human form" with a four-way stretch. 

Bonus: it doesn't wrinkle (but it still doesn't look quite like wool, either.)

The jacket retails for $448, and the pants are going for $248. The steep price isn't deterring customers — both the pants and the jacket are already sold out in navy blue. 

It's reminiscent of the infamous "fancy sweats" Tom Brady wore in his GQ Man of the Year spread.

But much like the pajama suit before it, anyone who takes a close look at this getup will agree that it does not pass as a suit. 

Though I have no doubt this look would be seen as appropriate in some circumstances, like in a casual workplace, I still have a hard time seeing it in a more traditional environment, like at a law firm or a bank — the very places men are expected to wear suits everyday.

Plus, Ministry of Supply's "suit" retails for about as much as a respectable, traditional wool version, without many of the benefits of a formal suit. A well-fitting suit makes you feel like you're on top of the world. A sleeping garment can never offer you that.

Yes, Ministry of Supply created a suit that is comfortable. It's just not a suit you can actually wear like a suit. Technology isn't going to replace traditional suits any time soon. 

3D Suit

SEE ALSO: The one suit that should be every guy's first

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NOW WATCH: You've been tying your scarf all wrong — here's how to keep your neck warm all winter










Rapper and former refugee M.I.A. made a music video depicting the arduous journey of a refugee

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Politically-charged rapper M.I.A. is taking on the current refugee crisis in her new music video. She herself was a refugee, fleeing to England from war-torn Sri Lanka at age nine.

“I was a refugee because of war, and now I have a voice in a time when war is the most invested thing on the planet," she told the Guardian in 2005.

"Borders" shows the arduous journey refugees take when fleeing their homes for safety. The artist directed the music video herself, which is part of the not-yet-released album, "Metadata."

The video is a graphic reminder of the everyday dangers refugees face while fleeing home.

Story and editing by Adam Banicki

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Here’s how to find out your Uber rating

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Every Uber driver wants a 5 star rating. They'll do their best to ensure that you have a pleasant ride and may even directly ask you to rate them as a 5 star driver.

But passengers should be on their best behavior – drivers rate them as well. Here's how to check your rating.

Produced by Justin Gmoser 

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50 places you should travel to in 2016

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It may be hard to believe, but 2015 is coming to a close, and it's time to start planning for 2016.

Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a novice, it's never too early to start thinking ahead to the places you want to check off your travel bucket list in the new year.

From Iceland's otherworldly countryside to Greece's glamorous Spetses island, here are the destinations worth venturing to in 2016.

SEE ALSO: The most affordable places to travel to next year, according to Lonely Planet

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KYOTO, JAPAN: This is the second year in a row that Kyoto has been named the best city in the world by Travel + Leisure, an award which is based off of votes from travelers. The city is rich in history and home to many incredible temples, markets, parks, and gardens.



DARBY, MONTANA: Darby is home to Triple Creek Ranch, which we named the best hotel of the year. The all-inclusive luxury ranch provides guests with private cabins, exceptional food and service, and plenty of activities like snowshoeing, horseback riding, tennis, and cooking classes.



ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: St. Petersburg was voted the best destination in Europe in this year's World Travel Awards. There's an abundance of history to be learned from the city's many ornate palaces and churches, which date back centuries.



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The 15 worst mistakes you can make in your 20s

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The best part about your 20s is that you can recover quickly from the inevitable mistakes you'll make as you figure out how to get by in the real world.

That said, there are some poor choices that have lasting effects, like not starting to save money, that are easily avoidable.

We've sorted through a variety of advice from entrepreneurs like investor and author James Altucher and Executive Image Consulting founder Sylvie di Giusto, as well as popular writers on Quora, and found recurring themes.

Here are the worst mistakes you would be wise to avoid in your 20s as you establish your professional and personal lives.

BI_Graphics_worst mistakes to make in your 20s_02

SEE ALSO: 33 books everyone should read before turning 30

DON'T MISS: The 27 jobs that are most damaging to your health

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NOW WATCH: Navy SEALs explain how your ego can destroy everything










Beijing's air pollution is so bad a man made a 'smog brick' out of it

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Nut Brother Beijing Smog Brick

There are few major cities on the planet where the grim realities of the Paris climate talks are more visceral than Beijing.

And for 100 days, a Chinese performance artist dragged a wheezing, industrial-strength vacuum cleaner through its notoriously polluted streets.

The artist, known as "Nut Brother," wasn't focused on keeping the concrete clean. Rather, his vacuum was pointed skyward.

The target: Air pollution.

His performance seems eerily timely. Beijing suffered its worst air pollution of the year on Monday, and issued a rare orange alert. Choked with hazardous smog, air pollution has climbed up to 35 times time the World Health Organization's recommended safety levels, closing schools and forcing Beijing's 22.5 million residents indoors. 

But Nut Brother's project has been in the works for sometime. He first announced his plan to collect dust from Beijing's air (via vacuum) in July, reports Quartz

Then, each day for 100 days, he updated his Sina Weibo account with his planned vacuuming area, along with details like the date, weather, and time.

On Monday, Nov 30th — the 100th and final day of his project — Nut Brother took all the dust he'd collected to a brick factory, where he had it mixed with clay and water to create a solid "smog brick."

Nut Brother Beijing

But Nut Brother cautions that the intention of his smog brick is more philosophical than truly a solution to Beijing's air woes.

"What I've done is like Sisphyus rolling his giant stone," Nut Brother told the New York Times. "There's no use, but it can make more people think about this issue. It's a spiritual thing."

NEXT UP: The greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century is something few people saw coming

RELATED: China could have over 800,000 lung cancer patients a year by 2020

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NOW WATCH: 4,000 people in China die every day from air pollution











The only 28 apps you need to have on your iPhone home screen (AAPL)

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texting

Which are the best apps you should be using?

We scoured the home screens of a dozen tech executives and sifted through the 100 best apps you can download to find the 28 essential apps for your homescreen.

Assuming you don't sort your apps into folders, and assuming you have a big iPhone like the 6S Plus, that's how many Apple allows you to see before having to flick to the next page of apps (six rows of four with four additional apps permanently stuck on the bottom of the screen).

You'll want to personalize some of our picks based on your habits. For example, you may want to use Hailo instead of Uber if you live in Europe. And you may want to use Chase instead of Mint if that's where you specifically bank.

Here are the best of the best apps, which deserve the most coveted real estate on your iPhone.

SEE ALSO: What 11 tech executives have on their iPhone home screens

First, to download all these apps, you're going to want to have the Apple App Store handy, which is an app in and of itself. So go ahead and stick that on your home screen.

The official Apple App Store will let you download or update any app on your device. So keep this shortcut handy.

Price: Free

Available on:iOS. It comes pre-loaded on your phone once it's activated.



You might as well keep the native Settings App on your homescreen too. You'll constantly need it to change things like location settings or to add WiFi information. Also keep the "Safari," "Phone," "Camera" and "Messages" native apps on your home screen, because you'll use these for most text messages, web-browsing, and to place most calls.

Use these apps for basic phone functions, like setting your alarm, connecting to WiFi, sending text messages and calling friends. There are some substitute apps you could swap. For example you could use the Rise alarm clock app, but most people enjoy using Apple's native alarm clock app well enough.

 



There are a few other native Apple apps you'll want to keep on your home screen. Calendar is one of them, although you could sub a calendar alternative like Fantastical 2.

Fantastical 2 is an easy-t0-use iPhone calendar app if you're not satisfied with the native Apple calendar app. It will keep you organized and it will turn whatever you type into a calendar date.

For example you can type, "Meet with Alyson for lunch at Business Insider at noon and Fantastical will plug it in.

Price: $2.99 for Fantastical 2

Available:iOS



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Step inside the $60 million mansion of Qualcomm co-founder Andrew Viterbi

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Viterbi property entrywayQualcomm co-founder Andrew Viterbi has hoisted his contemporary southern California mansion onto the market for a whopping $60 million.

Designed by renowned architect Guy Dreier, the 26,000-square-foot home has lots of modern features, including an array of solar panels and gardens filled with drought-tolerant plants. 

Viterbi is perhaps best known for inventing the Viterbi algorithm, which has been key in the development of cell phones and satellite receivers.

He told the Wall Street Journal that he's selling his home because it's too big for him now, as his wife died earlier this year. 

With nearly 1,500 lemon trees, gorgeous mountain views, and sculptures by Fletcher Benton all included in the asking price, the home is a luxurious paradise. 

Jason and Catherine Barry of Barry Estates have the listing.

SEE ALSO: Take a tour of the New York City apartment that's renting for $300,000 a month

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The home sits on 33 pristine acres in Rancho Santa Fe, California.



Viterbi told the WSJ that he spent around $50 million building the house, which was completed in 2008. A modern outdoor entryway, complete with a large sculpture by Fletcher Benton, leads into the open and airy home.

Source: WSJ



Dreier custom designed most of the furniture, including the dining room table. A granite fireplace spans the living room and dining room, and there's a sleek staircase made of glass and steel.



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Taylor Swift gave a 12-year-old superfan who's losing her hearing the surprise of a lifetime

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Upon receiving the news that she will eventually be deaf, a Taylor Swift superfan's first worry was that she might never hear her favorite singer's music again.

Jorja Hope, a 12-year-old from Australia, has an inner-ear condition that will eventually leave her deaf. The first thing she thought after getting the diagnosis was, "I won't be able to hear Taylor Swift sing," her mother told Australia's Today Show.

Last weekend, Hope's dreams came true when she got to meet Swift at her concert in Sydney. The surprise meeting came after Hope's sister started a Facebook campaign in order to get Hope meet her idol. Her story resulted in an outpouring of local support, and Hope got tickets to the show, as well as a limo ride there, provided free of charge from a local car service.

She told Today that Swift was just as nice in person as she imagined, only taller.

Story by Tony Manfred and editing by Alana Yzola

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SEE ALSO: Adele never heard of one of the most famous producers in pop until she fell in love with a Taylor Swift song

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RANKED: The tallest buildings in the world right now

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World's Tallest Buildings

For nearly half a century, from 1931 through the early 1970s, the 1,454-foot Empire State Building held the title for being the tallest building in the world. 

The world has come a long way since then — in the rankings of today's tallest man-made structures, the Empire State Building doesn't even crack the top 20. 

The world's current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, soars 2,716 feet into the sky, and more and more skyscrapers across Asia and the Middle East are rising each year. According to recent reports, developers in Iraq are planning to build another tower that could be the new tallest in the world if completed.

We've rounded up the 22 tallest buildings in the world right now.

SEE ALSO: The new tallest building in the world is set to rise in Iraq

22. Trump International Hotel and Tower — Chicago, Illinois (1,326 feet)



21. Al Hamra Tower — Kuwait City, Kuwait (1,354 feet)



20. The Princess Tower — Dubai, United Arab Emirates (1,358 feet)



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Mexico sank its own Navy boat to create a tourist attraction

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Baja California sank one of Mexico’s Navy boats off of Rosarito Beach in order to turn it into an underwater park for divers.

In addition to becoming an artificial reef, the boat will be joined by three more sunken boats, as well as statues, sculptures, and pyramids. Essentially, it will be a Mexican version of Atlantis.

A similar artificial reef turned tourist attractions can be found off of Catalina Island in California.

Story by Jacob Shamsian and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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SEE ALSO: We flew to the airport like the 1% — on the 'Uber of helicopters'

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