Fame is deeply attractive because it seems to offer very significant benefits. The fantasies go like this: when you are famous, wherever you go, your good reputation will precede you. People will think well of you, because your merits have been impressively explained in advance. You will get warm smiles from admiring strangers. You won’t need to make your own case laboriously on each occasion.

The Appeal Of Fame

<ul><li>When you are famous, you will be safe from rejection. You won’t have to win over every new person.</li><li>Fame will mean other people will be flattered and delighted even if you are only slightly interested in them. They will be amazed to see you in the flesh.</li><li>When you’re not pleased with something, it will become a big problem for others.</li><li>If you say your hotel room isn’t up to scratch, the management will panic.</li><li>Your complaints will be taken very seriously.</li><li>Your happiness will become the focus of everyone’s efforts.</li><li>You will make or break other people’s reputations. You’ll be the boss.</li></ul>

When You Are Famous...

The desire for fame has its roots in the experience of neglect, in injury. No one would want to be famous who hadn’t also, somewhere in the past, been made to feel extremely insignificant. We sense the need for a great deal of admiring attention when we have been painfully exposed to earlier deprivation. Perhaps one’s parents were hard to impress. They never noticed one much, they were so busy with other things, focusing on other famous people, unable to have or express kind feelings, or just working too hard.

The Desire Of Fame

When one has an insignificant or even traumatic childhood, one dreams that some day the world will pay attention. We also believe then when we’re finally famous, our parents will have to admire us too (which throws up an insight into one of the great signs of good parenting: that your child has no desire to be famous).

A Need From Childhood

But even if our parents were warm and full of praise, there might still be a problem. It might be that it was the buffeting and indifference of the wider world (starting with the schoolyard) that was intolerable after all the early years of adulation at home. One might have emerged from familial warmth and been mortally hurt that strangers were not as kind and understanding as one had come to expect. The crushing experience of humiliation might even have been vicarious: one’s mother being rudely dismissed by a waiter; one’s father standing awkwardly alone.

The World Not Being Kind To Us

What is common to all dreams of fame: Being known to strangers emerges as a solution to a hurt. It presents itself as the answer to a deep need to be appreciated and treated decently by other people.And yet fame cannot accomplish what is asked of it. It does have advantages, which are evident. But it also introduces a new set of very serious disadvantages, which the modern world refuses to view as structural rather than incidental.

Fame Is Not The Answer

Every new famous person who disintegrates breaks down in public or loses their mind is judged in isolation, rather than being interpreted as a victim of an inevitable pattern within the pathology of fame.The world isn’t generally kind to the famous for very long. The reason is basic: the success of any one person involves humiliation for lots of others. The celebrity of a few people will always contrast painfully with the obscurity of the many.

Being Famous Upsets People

When we imagine fame, we forget that it is inextricably connected to being too visible in the eyes of some, to bugging them unduly, to coming to be seen as the plausible cause of their humiliation: a symbol of how the world has treated them unfairly.So soon enough, the world will start to go through the rubbish bags of the famous, it will comment negatively on their appearance, it will pour over their setbacks, it will judge their relationships, it will mock their new movies.

The Dark Side Of Fame

Fame makes people more, not less, vulnerable, because it throws them open to unlimited judgement. Everyone is wounded by a cruel assessment of their character or merit. But the famous have an added challenge in store. The assessments will come in from legions of people who would never dare to say to their faces what they can now express from the safety of the newspaper office or screen. We know from our own lives that a nasty remark can take a day or two to process.

Making People Even More Vulnerable

Social media hasn’t helped. It’s made it far easier than before to be famous. And therefore, by necessity, far easier to be hated. A minor celebrity can now regularly face all the vitriol previously accorded only to Hollywood stars.Paradoxically, the famous are the very last people on earth to be well equipped to deal with what they’re going through. After all, they only became famous because they were wounded because they had thin skin; because they were in some respects a bit ill. And now far from compensating them adequately for their disease, fame aggravates it exponentially.

And Then Comes Social Media

Every worst fear about oneself (that one is stupid, ugly, not worthy of existence) will daily be actively confirmed by strangers. One will be exposed to the fact that people one has never met, about whom one would have only goodwill, actively loathe one. One will learn that detestation of one’s personality is – in some quarters – a badge of honour. Sometimes the attacks will be horribly insightful. At other times, they’ll make no sense to anyone who really knows one. But the criticisms will lodge in people’s minds nevertheless – and no lawyer, court case or magician can ever delete them.

The Hate Speech Of Strangers Seeps Inside The Mind

Fame really just means you get noticed a great deal – not that you get understood, appreciated or loved.At an individual level, the only mature strategy is to give up on fame. The aim that lay behind the desire for fame remains important. One does still want to be appreciated and understood. But the wise person accepts that celebrity does not actually provide these things. Appreciation and understanding are only available through individuals one knows and cares about, not via groups of a thousand or a million strangers.

Fame Means You Get Noticed, That's All

For those who are already famous, the only way to stay sane is to stop listening to what the wider world is saying. This applies to the good things as much as to the bad. It is best not to know. The wise person knows that their products need attention. But they make a clear distinction between the purely practical needs of marketing and advocacy and the intimate desire to be liked and treated with justice and kindness by people they don’t know.

Tip For The Already Famous

At a collective, political level we should pay great attention to the fact that, today, so many people (particularly young ones) want to be famous – and even see fame as a necessary condition for a successful life. Rather than dismiss this wish, we should grasp its underlying worrying meaning: they want to be famous because they are not being respected because citizens have forgotten how to accord one another the degree of civility, appreciation and decency that everyone craves and deserves. The desire for fame is a sign that ordinary life has ceased to be good enough.

The Bottom Line

Everything we thought about being famous is wrong.

Read our article - On the Desire for Fame. The School Of Life has a huge collection of interesting articles, read now.

Stashed ideas

On the Desire for Fame

It’s important to build an emergency supply kit and have it ready and available at a moment’s notice. The geographical issues you may face, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist attacks, flooding, earthquakes are important to consider in deciding what goes in your emergency bag. What might make sense in one place might not be recommended in another.

An emergency supply kit is vital

<ul><li>Water: Keep bottles of water and gallons of potable water.</li><li>Food: Three days' worth of nonperishable food, like survival food bars that contain 2,000 calories.</li><li>Portable Lighting: Flashlights and tea candles are ideal.</li><li>An Emergency Whistle: A simple signaling whistle can alert emergency rescue crews.</li><li>A Dust Mask: Airborne debris, fumes or gas from accidents or natural disasters can cause respiratory problems.</li><li>Solar Chargers: It can charge devices as large as a tablet with a day’s worth of sun.</li><li>Miscellaneous Items: Check the bag every couple of years in case tech has become outdated.</li></ul>

The Bare Basics

If an emergency occurs when you’re alone, you need to know how you’ll find and reach friends or family.<ul><li>Have a general evacuation plan as well as a communication plan</li><li>A multi-tool</li><li>Spare clothing, considering your climate.</li><li>A Weather/Emergency Radio, such as a Midland ER310, can tune in to AM/FM and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration channel.</li></ul>

For One Person

Build off the basics and necessities for one person, and make sure you pack enough supplies for everyone<ul><li>Mylar Thermal Blankets are windproof, waterproof and can reflect more than 90% of your body heat.</li><li>Bleach, when diluted nine parts water to one part bleach can disinfect. You can treat water using 16 drops of bleach to a gallon of water.</li><li>Waterproof Container to keep insurance policies, copies of identification, and more.</li><li>Miscellaneous Items, such as infant formula and diapers, books, games, other activities for children.</li></ul>

For a Family

<ul><li>A few days' supply of pet food, extra water, and any medications your pet may need are essential to keeping them happy in an uncomfortable situation.</li><li>For cat owners or anyone with small animals, consider packing extra blankets in their pet carrier for an emergency.</li></ul>

For Your Pets

Essentials should include<ul><li>moleskin fabric</li><li>liquid bandages</li><li>soft-wrap elastic bandages</li><li>micropore paper tape</li><li>fabric adhesive dressings and bandages</li><li>coverlet adhesive 4-wing dressing</li><li>non-adherent bandage pads</li><li>a sterile gauze bandage roll</li><li>adhesive wound closures</li><li>triangular bandages</li><li>alcohol swabs</li><li>Bacitracin antibiotic ointment with zinc</li><li>burn ointment</li><li>eyewash</li><li>a thermometer</li><li>petroleum jelly</li><li>pain killers</li><li>anti-diarrheal medication</li><li>antacids and laxatives</li></ul> Periodically check to ensure the medication, food, and other perishable supplies are not expired.

First-Aid Essentials

It is never too early to talk with friends and family about emergency plans — and how to build the perfect go-bag in case disaster strikes.

How to Pack an Emergency Kit for Any Disaster

These are powerful solar eruptions that produce high amounts of cosmic rays in Earth's upper atmosphere, which in turn produce carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon.The Carrington Event of 1859 is the largest recorded account of a geomagnetic storm, but it is not an isolated event. Recordings of these storms date back to the early 19th century, and an even more massive event is known as the Miyake Event, which occurred around A.D. 774.

Geomagnetic storms

Today, a geomagnetic storm of the same intensity as the Carrington Event would affect far more than telegraph wires and could be catastrophic.With the ever-growing dependency on electricity and emerging technology, any disruption could lead to trillions of dollars of monetary loss and risk to a life dependent on the systems.

Knocking out power

In the case of a solar storm, communications would be disrupted on a worldwide scale. <ul><li>Internet service providers could go down, which in turn would take out the ability of different systems to communicate with each other.</li><li>Satellites in orbit around Earth could be damaged by induced currents from the geomagnetic storm burning out their circuit boards. This would lead to disruptions in satellite-based telephone, internet, radio and television.</li></ul>

Breaking connections

It's important to work now to minimize the disruptions from the next Carrington Event. It's important to continue researching ways to protect electrical systems against the effects of geomagnetic storms, installing devices that can shield vulnerable equipment like transformers, and developing strategies for adjusting grid loads when solar storms are about to hit.

Just a matter of time

With the ever-growing dependency on electricity and technology, any disruption could put people at risk and lead to trillions of dollars of monetary loss.


How a solar storm could knock out the power grid and the internet

When there is an accident at a nuclear power plant — if there's an explosion or a leak or it's damaged in some way in war — radioactive iodine is one of the first substances that's released into the atmosphere.If that radioactive iodine gets into the body, it can damage cells in the thyroid and result in cancer.You can inhale radiation, or it can get into your body via the skin. But you can't see, smell or taste it in the air. It's an invisible threat.

Radioactive iodine

<ul><li>Our bodies do not produce iodine themselves. But we do need it, so we consume iodine through food or supplements.</li><li>When consumed, the iodine is collected or stored in the thyroid gland, where it is used to produce hormones. They help various bodily functions and even support the development of the brain.</li><li>The thyroid can, however, become saturated with iodine. And when that happens it can't store anymore.</li><li>The theory is that if you take enough "good" iodine, there will be no room left in the thyroid for any "bad" or radioactive iodine. That radioactive iodine should then simply pass through the body<warningtag> and get excreted via the kidneys.</warningtag></li></ul>

Is it worth taking iodine against radiation?

There is no point in taking iodine as a precautionary measure to prevent against radiation exposure after a leak or attack on a nuclear power plant.The thyroid only stores iodine for a limited amount of time. And taking too much iodine — even the good stuff — can be dangerous.But the iodine is still only effective if taken when it is needed. Experts say an iodine "block" only has a chance of helping if the good iodine is taken just before or during contact with radioactive iodine.

Don't take iodine as a precaution

Fears have grown about radiation exposure since Russia's attack on a Ukrainian nuclear facility. But taking iodine won't always help. It can, in fact, be dangerous.

Radiation: Does iodine help? | Science | In-depth reporting on science and technology | DW

According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the number of students over 25 who pursue higher education will increase. Older students have many options, such as online courses, professional certifications and doctoral programs. While it can be difficult to fit school into your lifestyle, navigating student life and adult responsibilities are possible.

Adult higher education

There are two signs that you are ready to go back to school. <ol><li>You know what you want. You picked the subject you want to study and the goals you want to accomplish through your education.</li><li>You're reasonably sure you can pay for it. Ideally, your education should open career doors that will enable you to pay back any student debt.</li></ol>

Consider the ideal time

<ul><li>There's no age limit for federal aid. So you can fill out the FAFSA again, but now as an adult. FAFSA can also help you narrow down federal aid prospects.</li></ul> <ul><li>Contact the financial aid office of the school you would like to attend. Ask if you can enter your upcoming year's projected income of the FAFSA, which is helpful if you plan to scale back on work hours.</li></ul> <ul><li>Ask about grants and scholarships. Search independently for scholarships, such as on Fastweb and scholarships.com.</li></ul> <ul><li>Paying for school get you tax breaks. A common student tax credit is the Lifetime Learning Credit.</li><li>Consider a loan.</li></ul>

Paying for school

Consider your logistical requirements. Is there a program near where you live? Do you have transport available? Should the program offer evening, weekend, or online classes? Start your research: Look up program rankings, find the program's graduation rate, investigate how many graduates are employed and read student reviews.

Choosing a program

<ul><li>Free massive open online courses (MOOCs) are ideal if you want to know more about a subject.</li><li>Certificates are non-degree-granting programs and are helpful when exploring a new area or increasing your current expertise.</li><li>Professional certifications or trade certifications. Certifications can qualify you to perform a specific job.</li><li>Degree programs. These train you for a specific job or give you a broader education in a particular subject. Bachelor's degree programs take four years.</li><li>Advanced degrees. These degrees help with an employment niche. A master's degree can increase your earning potential.</li></ul>

Certificate, certification or degree

Many people work full-time while studying. Their employer may also help pay the tuition. You can study full-time or part-time. Full-time will get you quicker to completion, but part-time will allow some breathing room to attend to other responsibilities easier.

Work and study

Going back to school as an adult can be the key to the career you always wanted. Or it can increase the earning potential and enjoyment of the career you already have.

Should You Go Back To School As An Adult? - Money Under 30

In the 1950s, magazines were looking for unstaged pictures of celebrities, and they were willing to offer a healthy payment to those who could get photos, especially in compromising positions.
Photographer Tazio Secchiaroli was one of the first to take one of these photographs of King Farouk of Egypt. King Farouk became upset being photographed while sitting with two women, neither of which were his wife.

Buzzing photographers

One theory is that an Italian film producer, Federico Fellini, modelled a film after Secchiarioli, calling him Paparazzo because the word reminded him of a buzzing insect that is always hovering, darting, stinging. The film La Dolce Vita came out in 1960 and meant "the sweet life."
Another theory is that the word came from an Italian hotel manager, Coriolono Paparazzo. English author George Gissing wrote a travel book in 1901 and recorded the name in it. Later in 1958, Ennio Flaiano, the screenwriter on the film, read the book and found the name, Paparazzo.

Two theories of the term paparazzi

What image comes to mind when you hear the word “paparazzi”? If you picture photographers relentlessly following celebrities, then you’re probably right on. But where did the term “paparazzi” come…

The Origin of the Paparazzi

Returning boomerangs are the banana-shaped devices that come back to you when you throw them. The returning boomerangs are made from lightweight pieces of wood, plastic or similar material and generally measure 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60cm) across. When thrown correctly, a returning boomerang flies in a circular path and returns to its starting point.

Returning Boomerangs

Non-returning boomerangs are effective hunting weapons. They are easy to aim and can travel a longer distance at a high rate of speed. These boomerangs are made from pieces of wood shaped in a curve, but they are usually heavier and longer than the returning boomerang, about 3 feet (1 metre) across. The design helps them cut through the air.

Non-returning boomerangs

A boomerang has at least two wings combined in one unit. It makes a boomerang spin about a central point, stabilising its motion as it flies through the air. The wings are set at a slight tilt. They have an airfoil design - rounded on one side and flat on the other - which gives a wing lift. The wing has lift when the air particles move quicker over the top of the wing than the bottom, which creates a difference in air pressure, causing lift.

Why boomerangs fly

The two wings of a boomerang are arranged so that the leading edges are facing in the same direction, like propeller blades. Propellers create a forward force by spinning the blades. If you throw a boomerang, as you do with a Frisbee, you may assume the forward motion would be up, and the boomerang would fly up until it stopped spinning and gravity pulled it down again. If you held it vertically when you threw it, as is proper, it seems that it would fly off to the right or left. But that is not what happens.

A boomerang is like a propeller

When you throw the boomerang: <ul><li>It not only spins propeller motion but also flies through the air.</li><li>The wing at the top of the spin moves in the same direction as the forward motion of the throw, while the bottom wing moves in the opposite direction.</li><li>This causes the top wing to move through the air at a higher speed.</li><li>It makes more air pass under it and creates lift because the wing has to exert more force to push down the increased mass.</li><li>It is as if someone is continually pushing the spinning propeller at the top of the spin, causing it to keep turning, travelling in a circle.</li></ul>

Why a boomerang comes back

There are five variables involved in a boomerang flight: <ul><li>The force of gravity</li><li>The force caused by the propeller motion</li><li>The force of your throw</li><li>The force caused by the uneven speed of the wings</li><li>The forces of wind</li></ul> All five forces have to be balanced to make a boomerang travel in a circle and come back to its starting point. The only way to consistently make good throws is to practice good technique.

Forces that affect a boomerang flight

<ol><li>Hold the boomerang at the end of the bottom wing, with the V-point pointing toward you, the flat side facing out. The curved edge will be on the left and the top wing's leading edge facing away from you.</li><li>Aim the boomerang at a point about 45 to 50 degrees to one side from the wind direction.</li><li>Bring the boomerang behind you and snap it forward (like throwing a baseball). Ensure you snap your wrist when you let go to create a good spin.</li><li>When it comes back to you, safely catch it by clapping it between your two hands.</li></ol>

How to throw a boomerang

Aborigines of Australia are credited with the invention of the boomerang. They used non-returning boomerangs in hunting, called kylies. The returning boomerang might be a complete accident or the result of design experimentation. The Aborigines perfected the boomerang design and throwing technique for the simple pleasure of it.

The boomerang the first man-made flying machine

It's pretty amazing: When you throw a boomerang, it actually does come back to you -- if you throw it properly. Find out why the boomerang returns and how to throw it like a pro.

Self Improvement

How Boomerangs Work

Researchers from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Colorado have observed that people who wake up earlier tend to be less depressed.
Though the study has only been among European descendants, the study shows that going to sleep early and waking up an hour or two early lowers the risk of depression by 23-40% respectively.

Earlier Mornings for Reducing Depression

The early bird catches the worm and is way less melancholy about worm availability and options.

Researchers analyzed genetic data on 850,000 people through the company 23andMe, 38% of whom had worn sleep trackers or filled out sleep questionnaires.


Harvard study: Want to be less depressed? Wake up earlier

When a 15-year-old Paul McCartney met a 16-year-old John Lennon in 1957, the world was about to be turned upside down. 
Lennon invited McCartney to play the rhythm guitar in his skiffle band, The Quarrymen. Later, the band was joined by George Harrison and original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe. Original Beatles drummer Pete Best joined the band, but following criticism, Best was replaced by Ringo Starr in 1962. Sutcliffe left the band in 1961, and McCartney replaced him on bass.

The world's most famous band

Allan Williams was the Beatles' first manager. After a string of shows at The Cavern Club, Brian Epstein spotted the band and became their official manager in 1962.
Initially, Decca Records rejected the band, and instead, Epstein signed the band to EMI's Parlophone label. In June, the first recording session was initiated at Abby Road Studios and in October, The Beatles' first single, 'Love Me Do' reached Number 17 on the Record Retailer chart. They went on to release 12 studio LPs in eight years.

The Beatles: UK popularity and the first single

In 1963, The Beatles recorded their first LP, Please Please Me, a hit that quickly rose to number 1. European tours followed with thousands of fans filling the streets. The reaction was described as Beatlemania.
The Beatles landed in the USA in 1964, and their first US television performance was watched by approximately 73 million viewers across the States. The Beatles gathered a growing fanbase and held the top five places in the Billboard Top 100, a record to this day.

Beatlemania

Live music concerts were held at stadiums in America, including a show in 1965 at Shea Stadium, to a record 55,600 fans. But after four years of constant recording, touring, and more than 1,400 live appearances, life finally started to take its toll. The last performance was at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, in August 1966.
The Beatles now turned to the studio and recorded six studio LPs from 1966-1970, starting with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The Beatles: Live music concerts

Cracks in the unity of The Beatles became apparent after the death of Brian Epstein, with members leaving and returning. Yet, The Beatles still managed to occupy number 1 with four of their releases in the UK and five in the US.
Their final performance was on the rooftops of Apple Corps on Savile Row in January 1969. The Beatles finally broke up in 1970, and shortly after, their last studio LP Let It Be, was released on May 8th 1970.

Tensions in the band

Ever wondered how The Beatles cracked the world? Read our brief feature on the history of Liverpool's most famous sons.

A Brief History of The Beatles

“If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.”

Elon Musk (Founder Of Spacex, Tesla Motors And Contributor To Paypal): Musk, at 12 years old, taught himself to code and sold a game he made for $500. When he moved to Canada, he worked odd jobs including tending vegetables, shoveling out grain bins, and cleaning out gunk from a boiler room in a lumber mill.In university, Elon sold computer parts to make extra cash and turned his 10 bedroom fraternity home into a nightclub on the weekends and charged a cover. Since then, he’s built several companies, including SpaceX, Tesla Motors, PayPal, and zip2.

Hustle Early In Life

“It’s important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become more memorable.”

Sara Blakely (Founder Of Spanx): She started her billionaire journey when she was 27 years old, out of her Atlanta apartment and revolutionized the way women look in their clothes. She also started the Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurship and later joined the ‘Giving Pledge’, a commitment to donate the majority of her wealth to help others who truly need it.

Give To Those Who Truly Need It

Warren Buffett (CEO Of Berkshire Hathaway): He’s an American investment wizard and businessman who started investing in stocks at 11 years old and real estate investing at 14 years old. He’s had a few businesses and grew Berkshire Hathaway into one of the most valuable companies in the world based on his ‘invest what you know’ mentality and strategically investing in undervalued businesses for the long term in many industries.

Learn To Grow Your Investments

“I don’t believe in pitfalls. I believe in taking risks and not doing the same thing twice.”

Guy Laliberté (Co-Founder And Former CEO Of Cirque Du Soleil): He started as a street performer playing the accordion, walking on stilts and eating fire. In 1987, he co-founded a circus troupe in Montreal and took a big risk moving it to Los Angeles which eventually led to it becoming the famous Cirque du Soleil.In 2009, he became the first Canadian space tourist and his spaceflight was dedicated to raising awareness on water issues making it the first, in his words, ‘poetic social mission’ in space.

Be Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

“You become what you believe. You are where you are today in your life based on everything you have believed.”

Oprah Winfrey (CEO Of Oprah Winfrey Network): Considered one of the most influential women in the world, she is an American media mogul, producer, talk show host, author and philanthropist.She grew up in poverty and by the time she was fourteen, she suffered physical abuse, molestation, and the death of her first newborn. A few years later, she won a beauty pageant, got her degree in speech and performing arts and became an ABC news anchor.

Circumstances Don’t Matter

Mark Cuban (Owner Of The Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, Magnolia Pictures And Chairman Of Axs Tv): Before his billionaire days, he learned to stretch his dollar by living of ketchup and mustard sandwiches, couch surfing, and living on the cheap. In university, he made extra cash teaching dance lessons and hosting disco parties.He lived on the cheap for a long time in order to build and grow his businesses and investments into a multi-billion-dollar empire.

Learn The Real Value Of Money

Jack Ma (Founder Of China Yellowpages And Alibaba): His mental toughness and resilience got him through many failed school and university exams. After graduating, he went on to dozens of rejections from jobs.Before becoming rich, he was kidnapped on a business trip to Los Angeles, threatened with a gun, and held captive in Las Vegas before managing to escape. His mental toughness, resilience, extreme determination and passion to achieve his goals eventually paid off and he went on to build a massive internet empire.

Learn To Be Mentally Tough

Zhou Qunfei (Founder Of Lens Technology): When she was 16, due to financial hardship and a need to support her blind father, she dropped out of school to work as an operator in a watch glass company.She learned the ropes of the glass making business by studying alone at night and relying on books to create different technologies. Now, her company supplies touchscreen glass to a quarter of all smartphones in the world.

Learn The Power Of Curiosity

In Bloomberg's top 200 billionaires, over half are self made; 137 to be exact. Together, those 137 are worth about $2 trillion. And the percentage of self-made billionaires is growing from year to year at an amazing rate - proof that it is possible to achieve this dream.

On the Desire for Fame

How to Pack an Emergency Kit for Any Disaster

How a solar storm could knock out the power grid and the internet

Radiation: Does iodine help? | Science | In-depth reporting on science and technology | DW

Should You Go Back To School As An Adult? - Money Under 30

Connor Lambert