This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

In the US, the in-store mobile wallet space is becoming increasingly crowded. Most customers have an option provided by their smartphone vendor, like Apple, Android, or Samsung Pay. But those are often supplemented by a myriad of options from other players, ranging from tech firms like PayPal, to banks and card issuers, to major retailers and restaurants.

With that proliferation of options, one would expect to see a surge in adoption. But that’s not the case — though Business Insider Intelligence projects that US in-store mobile payments volume will quintuple in the next five years, usage is consistently lagging below expectations, with estimates for 2019 falling far below what we expected just two years ago. 

As such, despite promising factors driving gains, including the normalization of NFC technology and improved incentive programs to encourage adoption and engagement, it’s important for wallet providers and groups trying to break into the space to address the problems still holding mobile wallets back. These issues include customer satisfaction with current payment methods, limited repeat purchasing, and consumer confusion stemming from fragmentation. But several wallets, like Apple Pay, Starbucks’ app, and Samsung Pay, are outperforming their peers, and by delving into why, firms can begin to develop best practices and see better results.

A new report from Business Insider Intelligence addresses how in-store mobile payments volume will grow through 2021, why that’s below past expectations, and what successful cases can teach other players in the space. It also issues actionable recommendations that various providers can take to improve their performance and better compete.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• US in-store mobile payments will advance steadily at a 40% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to hit $128 billion in 2021. That’s suppressed by major headwinds, though — this is the second year running that Business Insider Intelligence has halved its projected growth rate.
• To power ahead, US wallets should look at pockets of success. Banks, merchants, and tech providers could each benefit from implementing strategies that have worked for early leaders, including eliminating fragmentation, improving the purchase journey, and building repeat purchasing.
• Building multiple layers of value is key to getting ahead. Adding value to the user experience and making wallets as simple and frictionless as possible are critical to encouraging adoption and keeping consumers engaged. 

In full, the report:

• Sizes the US in-store mobile payments market and examines growth drivers.
• Analyzes headwinds that have suppressed adoption.
• Identifies three strategic changes providers can make to improve their results.
• Evaluates pockets of success in the market.
• Provides actionable insights that providers can implement to improve results.

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• Farrah Moan appears on the new season of  "RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars."
• We asked Farrah to show us how to do some basic drag makeup using some cheap items we found at the drugstore.
• In a very short amount of time, she helped transform one of our producers into her new drag daughter.

Following is a transcript of the video. 

Farrah Moan: Oh sh*t.

Hi guys! I'm Farrah Moan from "RuPaul's Drag Race" season nine and All Stars four. I am here with...

Jake Gabbard: Jake.

Farrah: Jake! And he wants to try and become a drag queen today. So we're gonna have some red wine, and we are gonna get all up in this mug with just whatever we could find at the drugstore, and see what happens. So...

Jake: Oh my gosh.

Farrah: We're gonna start first with this foundation stick. So, I want you to grab this.

Jake: Okay.

Farrah: And look in your little mirror,

Jake: Alright.

Farrah: And just smear it all over your face.

Jake: All over?

Farrah: Yup. Make sure to really concentrate it on those parts.

Jake: Alright. It's really thick, that's okay?

Farrah: Oh, this is drag, babe. You don't have to do it too heavy, because you will blend, but I just wanna do this because it looks satisfying. Oh yeah, cover that beard. Now, you're gonna take your little beauty sponge.

Jake: Okay. Jake: And just work it in?

Farrah: Lemme feel it. Yup, it's perfect. Now, what you wanna do is just... Until it's evenly spread all over the face.

Jake: Okay.

Farrah: Faster, harder! And not down, don't do downward. Pat in.

Jake: Pat it in, okay. Oh, I see. Farrah: Pat in. Jake: I'm very new to this.

Farrah: Have you ever done drag before?

Jake: No! When I was high school I went as Marilyn Monroe for a project, so I did a little lipstick and a wig. And that was the extent of it.

Farrah: Lipstick and a wig!

Jake: That was my drag experience.

Farrah: Your memoir.

Jake: Yeah. Farrah: Yeah, don't be afraid to really just beat that foundation in there, baby. You are clearly a man. And we are going to make you somewhat of a woman.

Jake: You're gonna have to work some magic.

Farrah: See how it's just very fast? And then, oh my God, look, your beard is gone! Wow. That's wild.

Jake: Nice.

Farrah: None of us on our first time doing drag didn't have 5 o'clock shadow. In fact, mine might be growing in right now.

Jake: You're supposed to...

Farrah: Oh, don't forget your little pink ears.

Jake: Oh, I gotta do my ears too?

Farrah: Yass! Babe! Of course. At this point, the next step would be a cream contour. Oh my God, look! Drag! So you always wanna get the man out. So like, chisel the jaw, get that little cheekbone, contour that forehead, get so girly. So the line here gets rid of the double chin, and like, chisels everything.

Jake: Nice.

Farrah: The line here hollows out your cheekbones and kinda gives your cheeks some shape, and kind of creates the illusion of a protrusion. A protrusion illusion?

Jake: I like it.

Farrah: Yeah, it kind of tricks the world into thinking you have cheekbones.

Jake: I already see the points happening.

Farrah: Yeah, you see it! Do you feel like a queen yet?

Jake: I'm to feel like a little...

Farrah: Queenie?

Jake: Tingly a little bit, yeah. I get it.

Farrah: Oh my God, it's happening! You're gonna just take this little, and just blend it like that. Is that a woman? My God, I feel so proud! Are you gonna be my first drag daughter?

Jake: Sure! What does that mean? What are the responsibilities of a drag daughter?

Farrah: Oh well, the drag mother has all the responsibilities, clearly.

Jake: Oh. Farrah: What's your drag name gonna be? Jake: What should my drag name be?

Farrah: Well, if you were my daughter, since I'm Farrah Moan, I've always wanted a little baby girl named Hora Moan.

Jake: Hora Moan! You heard it here first. Okay, so cue lower third, I am now Farrah Moan's drag daughter, Hora Moan.

Farrah: Hora Moan.

Jake: In the flesh.

Farrah: Okay, next we're gonna set your face with powder. Relax that forehead or else you're gonna permanently put those creases in. Too late.

Jake: I'm a stressed...

Farrah: Oh, Hora. You're just a baby girl! Look at this little baby girl! Next, we're gonna go in with some contour again over the cream, because, if you notice, when you put that powder on, it kind of has some pigment to it, so it takes away a little bit of the contour. You can also have a meltdown and just, like, like not finish and just wipe it all off, then stay inside. If I have a bad...

Jake: This drag queen is staying in her castle.

Farrah: Castle. Like, her one bedroom apartment.

Jake: Yeah. Studio.

Farrah: Studio for sure! Our next step is a good old liquid liner, and you know what, Hora Moan, this doesn't get any easier. Like, I have been doing drag for seven years now, and it's still hard, and I still hold my breath, and I still get very deep, deep, deep anxiety from doing this. Okay, so relax your eyes and kind of go like this, like you're really high.

Jake: Okay.

Farrah: And inside of dragging the liner, just move your head.

Jake: Ohhh.

Farrah: Yeah. That's what helps me. Oh, oh no, you're doing it on the bottom? This is for the top! This is the cat eye!

Jake: I don't know!

Farrah: This is the signature Moan cat eye.

Jake: Oh my gosh, I am sorry.

Farrah: Listen kids, you're all gonna look like this when you first start, and it's fine! Because eventually, you go from this to this. Oh my God you're doing so good! Here, let's let it dry a little bit. Oh that looks great, babe.

Jake: Thank you.

Farrah: You're doing a great job. Do you want a little sip?

Jake: Yes please, thank you. Jake: Mm! Okay. Oo, that's yummy.

Farrah: Bartender, can we get some more when you're available? Okay. Now we're gonna stick these f*cking lashes on. Normally when you put these on, you wanna, like, trim a little bit so that it matches your eye, but today we are creating a different fantasy. Now I don't trust you to try and do this yourself, because you can glue your eye shut.

Jake: Oh yeah. I see.

Farrah: Yeah, you can feel the fantasy? Do you feel like a woman?

Jake: Yeah. Yup, it's there. Farrah: See, the thing about fake eyelashes is it's, like, kryptonite to straight men. Oh my God, so when did you come out of the closet?

Jake: I'm actually straight.

Farrah: While your eyes are closed, keep them closed, keep them closed, we're gonna put some lipstick on you. Yeah! Oh God, what brand? Oh. Oh my God! Look at this little baby girl, Hora Moan! You look just like me. It's crazy.

Jake: Just little baby Hora Moan.

Farrah: Very, very annoyed that she had to be born, but very thankful for the opportunity to inspire. Okay.

Jake: We'll make it work.

Farrah: This is a little bit MySpace. Okay. Look.

Jake: Oh! I dig it!

Farrah: Don't you? You look so pretty! Oh my God! Oh my God. Okay, serve us some face. Serve us some face. Do a little. Yes! Give it! Hora Moan! Looking sickening! Looking gorg! Looking like a woman! And no one can tell her differently even with some lipstick on her teeth!

Jake: Oh my God.

Farrah: Do you feel it?

Jake: I feel it! I feel... It's pretty funny to look at. I look like a...

Farrah: Girl! Like a drag Reba McIntyre or something.

Farrah: Oh work! Like, oh my God, no. Kelly Osbourne.

Jake: Yes!

Farrah: When she was a problematic teen?

Jake: Yes. 2002 Kelly Osbourne.

Farrah: We stan.

Jake: Yeah. Farrah, thank you so much for showing me how to use all this makeup. I had no idea how to do any of it. Now I feel so confident.

Farrah: And look, for your first time ever using it, I'm actually very impressed. Like, it took me a very long time to, like, figure out what all this... I didn't even know that you could set your face with powder for like the first year. I was just shiny as hell. Yeah, but the straight boys loved it. But I'm so happy I got to do this with you, and I hope that even though you are straight, you are going to continue on with this legacy of my name.

Jake: I will.

Farrah: Hora Moan.

Jake: I will wear your name proudly.

Farrah: Maybe one day you'll be on "RuPaul's Drag Race."

-I'm giving you two thumbs up. Honestly, I am so proud of you.

-You look gorgeous!

Jake: Well thank you.

Jake: What do you think?

-See the hair is on point.

Jake: Thank you.

-The makeup is on point.

Jake: Thank you.

-Charisma, I assume, is on point.

Jake: Always.

-I'll give this a thumbs up.

-This look is crazy! It looks good, overall. Good job, Jake.

Jake: Thank you.

- I give Hora Moan a big thumbs up.

Jake: My name is Hora Moan.

-Hora Moan? I love it.

Jake: Thanks.

-Thumbs up, for sure.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Chinese officials have expressed concerns about the impact of video games on children, fearing the hobby can lead to addiction and decreased productivity. The country halted new releases for months as they reorganized their process for reviewing new games.
• China's Online Game Ethics Committee, a newly formed regulatory body, recently approved 80 new video games, ending the freeze that began in March 2018.
• None of the 80 games approved belong to Chinese corporation Tencent, the world's largest video game publisher, despite the company's push to implement mandatory time limits and age restrictions for its games.

China has ended a freeze on new video game releases that began in March 2018, with the recently formed Online Games Ethics Committee announcing that 80 new games were approved in late December.

China spent much of 2018 reorganizing its approval process for new media coming into the country. The Online Games Ethics Committee was created in response to concerns from Chinese officials who fear that video games are sparking addiction and impacting the productivity of the country's youth.

Chinese regulators maintain strict standards when judging whether games, films, and other media are too violent or offensive for release within the country. As reported by Reuters, the list of 80 games is the first batch to be approved by the Online Games Ethics Committee.

However, none of the games approved belong to Tencent, the world's largest video game publisher and a Chinese company. Tencent has been severely impacted by the freeze on new releases; the company's share price has dropped nearly 30% since the year began, and the company has lost more than $200 billion of its overall value.

Read more:Video game addiction has sparked a culture war in China — and it’s having huge repercussions for the world's biggest video game maker

In a proactive response to criticism in China, Tencent began using facial recognition software to verify player identities in September 2018. Tencent's age verification process uses an official government database to confirm player identities with their photo and personal information. Players under the age of 18 are limited to playing just two hours a day, while those under the age of 12 are limited to one hour a day.

However, some of Tencent's most successful games released worldwide during 2018 remain barred from release in China. Regulators have also prevented Tencent from monetizing popular games that were already on the market in China, including "Fortnite: Battle Royale" and "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," both of which have millions of players on a monthly basis.

Despite restrictions from the government, China remains the largest video game market on the planet. Chinese gamers spent more than $34 billion on video games in the past year, according to New Zoo. As the long freeze on video games begins to thaw, publishers will work to regain access to the massive population of players in China.

SEE ALSO: Kids in China are trying every trick in the book to beat the facial recognition software that puts a mandatory time limit on popular video games

SEE ALSO: Video game addiction has sparked a culture war in China — and it’s having huge repercussions for the world's biggest video game maker

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried cooking an entire Thanksgiving dinner using Google Home Hub and found there are two major flaws with it

• Uber is quickly growing its safety and investigation team in Phoenix, the Financial Times reports. 
• Of the 600 employees, about 65 investigators handle everything from car crashes to assault — and are tasked with getting both sides of the story.  
• Drivers have previously told Business Insider the system is imperfect, and that often times a single customer complaint could see them suspended from the platform and therefore without a job, pending the investigation. 

In the 16 months since Dara Khosrowshahi took over as Uber’s chief executive, safety has been at the top of the company’s laundry list of needed changes.

And as the app adds new features like direct-to-9-1-1 buttons, GPS crash monitoring, and other data-driven safety tools, a team of employees in Phoenix works behind the scenes to manage everything from physical assaults, car crashes, and even murder.

According to a new profile of the 600-person safety and customer service unit in Arizona published in the Financial Times on Friday, the office has grown quickly. When it launched in July 2017, there were only 23 employees.

Today, an algorithm monitors incoming tickets from the app, website, safety hotline and elsewhere for red-flags like "gun" or "touch," the paper reported. Then, a team of 65 investigators serve as the first line of contact for the complainant and accused. In urgent cases, the drivers account may be suspended pending a more thorough investigation by the company.

The company says most investigations into complaints are begun within an hour. Previously, it might have taken days for a representative to contact someone who filed a complaint. 

Read more: 'Sometimes it takes a punch in the face': Uber's CEO admits he overlooked some important internal problems

Uber will contact local law enforcement in most situations, especially when there are "public safety issues" at play. However, the company says it has followed advice of advocates and survivors to not involve authorities in cases of sexual misconduct. 

Drivers say the system still needs improvement

Still, there’s work to be done. Engineering a perfect system for safety isn’t easy, especially when Uber’s workforce is a network composed of millions of independent contractors who may have little personal contact with the company during their tenure as a driver.

Many drivers have complained the system views them as "guilty until proven innocent," in the words of one driver in Boston, who spoke to Business Insider on the condition of anonymity. 

"When people complain, it hurts the driver, he said of the lost income due to being suspended. (He was briefly suspended after a rider said his car smelled like marijuana, which he claimed was because of a previous customer.) 

Other drivers, online in forums like Reddit and UberPeople say they’ve also been de-activated or suspended because of a customer complaint.

One driver claimed in a statement online he was suspended without warning after a passenger complaint of "possible impaired driving," the driver said.

"I understand the need to look into the riders' complaints," said another driver, "but I also expect Uber, "my partner" to seek my side of the story before they punish me when took such a punitive and extreme measure!.”

Uber seems to be attune to these problems, and is actively working to improve its systems.

"We haven’t always got it right," Buddy Loomis, a former Arizona special agent, who now heads Uber’s safety team in Phoenix, told the Financial Times. "Training was a challenge before the inception of understanding what the severity level of these incident types are."

Tony West, Uber’s top lawyer, tweeted that "continuing to improve in this area is essential for Uber." He also touted a transparency report that the company is planning to release in 2019. That report will assumably come ahead of the company’s much awaited public offering, which could value it as high as $120 billion.

Read the full Financial Times profile of Uber's serious incident team here.

SEE ALSO: 7 people you never realized were early investors in Uber

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This spray paint lights up at the flip of a switch, but it's not glow-in-the-dark

Going on a diet is a losing game. Some research suggests more than nine out of every 10 people who try to diet will fail.

Even people who are able to diet successfully often fight a tough battle against the body's evolutionarily savvy attempts to store extra energy. In fact, scientists have found that the bodies of severely overweight people who lose weight can actively work against them: as they slim down, their metabolism drops, making it harder to lose more weight. 

Experts agree that extreme diets and juice cleanses aren't good long-term strategies for maintaining a healthy weight. To that end, the US News & World Report's 2018 ranking of the best diets put the trendy ketogenic diet dead last. 

But there are a few simple things you can do to stay trim and satisfied in the long run. 

We asked dietitian Jason Ewoldt from the nation's top-rated hospital, the Mayo Clinic, for his simplest, sanest ideas for staying lean. Here's his advice:

SEE ALSO: The most surprising foods Weight Watchers considers zero points — and why

Stay hydrated. If you hate drinking water, zest it up with citrus or drink it carbonated (without adding empty calories into your diet).

Ewoldt noted that patients often end up misinterpreting thirst for hunger.

"A lot of times, people just seem to be a little dehydrated," he said. 

A 2016 study of more than 18,000 people in the US found that those who drank more water were consistently more satisfied and ate fewer calories on a daily basis. They also consumed lower amounts of sugar, fat, salt, and cholesterol than more dehydrated participants. 

There's also some limited evidence that drinking water can help you burn through more calories, at least for a little while. So keep sipping.

Whatever you drink, it's best to steer clear of sugar and probably artificial sweeteners, too.

Drinking a lot of sugary coffee , tea, soda , or juice could increase your risk of an early death, according to a study of over 17,000 Americans above the age of 45. 

But researchers are starting to discover that consuming drinks with fake sugar may not be any better when it comes to developing dangerous diseases.

Scientists studying the blood vessels of rats discovered that while sugar and artificial sweeteners act in very different ways inside the animals' bodies, they can both up the odds of developing obesity and diabetes.

The researchers think that artificial sweeteners may mess with the way our bodies process fat. 

Aim for seven to eight hours of shut-eye per night.

Most of us like to think we can operate well without a full night's sleep. But neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker says that's wrong. According to Walker, a lack of sleep is literally killing us.

And it makes us eat more unhealthy food, too. 

Research published in 2013 in the journal Nature Communications revealed that sleep-deprived eaters are more likely to reach for high-calorie foods and gain weight than well-rested people. That's because being sleepy also snoozes the region of the brain that helps tell us when we're full.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Briogeo is a range of clean, safe hair-care products formulated for all hair types — but it's seen particular success in the curly hair space.
• Founder Nancy Twine created the line when she noticed a gap in the market for women with natural textured curls.
• The line is free of sulfates, silicones, and parabens and features natural ingredients like rice aminos, avocado oil, shea butter, and a signature tomato fruit ferment to support healthy curls.

They say you always want what you can't have, and that's especially true when it comes to hair.

Those of us with curls and coils usually long for stick-straight strands, so much so that we spend a ridiculous amount of time and money on professional blowouts, at-home straightening tools, and products that promise a "smooth finish" in an attempt to tame our natural texture. Sound familiar?

As someone with curly hair, I've always harbored a not-so-secret wish for hair that's just slightly more manageable. But my impatient personality renders regular blowouts and straightening sessions out of the question. Most days, I scrunch in a curl cream and let my hair air dry on its own. This usually leaves me with blah waves and at least a little bit of frizz… which I always assumed was my natural texture.

But when I started using Briogeo, a clean hair-care line that formulates products without sulfates, silicones or parabens, all of that changed. Treated with the right products — namely, Briogeo's Curl Charisma and Don't Despair, Repair! ranges — my curls transformed into the soft, bouncy, voluminous hair of my dreams.

Even though Briogeo makes products for all hair types, their curl-focused shampoos, conditioners, and stylers are what the brand is best known for — especially in the natural hair community, where there's a dearth of effective products.

Brand founder Nancy Twine noticed this gap in the market at a young age, and began DIY-ing her own hair care at home with her mother.

"When I was younger, it was nearly impossible for me to find the right products to tame my curls, which is why my mom and I would concoct our own hair treatments using natural oils, extracts, and butters we'd source from our local health food store," Twine tells Business Insider. Her homemade hair care was merely a hobby; one that she left behind when she moved from West Virginia to New York City to pursue a career in finance. But as Twine became reliant on store-bought products to care for her curls, she realized that the curly community was seriously underserved.

"After working in finance for seven years, it felt right to be ready for a change," she says of switching careers and launching Briogeo. "The plethora of textured hair-care options didn't exist [then], so I had no choice but to create products that spoke to my specific needs." It's not just Twine's specific needs that are met by Briogeo, though; her formulations speak to all women with curly and coily hair. Myself included.

Pre-Briogeo, I didn't pay much attention to the hair-care products I used — I would grab something at CVS whenever I was running low, and as long as the words "curly hair" were emblazoned somewhere on the bottle, I thought I was choosing well. In actuality, many of the products in my collection were filled with ingredients Twine sees as no-nos: silicones, sulfates, and parabens. These ingredients can be damaging for any hair type, but curly hair — which is typically drier and more porous than most — is particularly at risk.

"I am anti-silicones," Twine states.

Silicones are commonly used in conditioners, since they cover hair in a plastic-like coating that gives the appearance of soft, smooth strands. But silicones are somewhat controversial, since they don't actually affect the health of your hair — they just make it look healthy. Underneath the silicone shine, hair is often damaged and dry. "Silicones can also make curls feel lackluster, and don't do anything to nourish the hair — they're essentially a Band-Aid," Twine says. "I think the curl community has resonated with the fact that Briogeo is a completely silicone-free line."

Twine avoids sulfates for similar reasons.

This ingredient is typically seen in shampoos for its ability to deep-clean strands and strip away excess oil and buildup; but it's been shown that sulfates can actually strip away too much, which damages hair in the long run. And since waves and curls — especially textured curls — are already dry and more prone to damage, sulfates disproportionately affect the health of curly hair.

Parabens are preservatives used to extend the shelf life of skin-care and hair-care products, but they're also known endocrine disruptors, meaning they mess with the body's hormonal functions. This substance is easily absorbed through the skin (and that includes the scalp), so it was important to Twine to create a safe line of hair care free from parabens. "Our products actually do what they say they do, without exposing the skin and hair to potentially harmful ingredients," Twine says.

Briogeo is so much more than what's not in the bottle, though; the brand's reputation for providing effective products stands on what is inside.

"We use rice amino acids to help keep frizz at bay," says Twine. "Rice amino acids help to seal the hair cuticle to lock out environmental moisture (aka, humidity) that can cause curls to frizz." The line also relies on natural moisturizers, like avocado oil and shea butter, to keep curls soft, hydrated, and shiny. But what really sets Briogeo apart in the curly space is its "unique tomato fruit ferment ingredient," the founder tells us. "It helps to add definition to curls, boosting curl pattern and vibrancy."

If you're new to the brad, Twine recommends starting with the best-selling Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask.

This one isn't just for curly girls, either; it works on all types and textures to visibly repair damage and enhance the healthiness of hair. The founder calls it "a must-have hair-care staple" (and I must I say, I agree).

Those with waves or curls will do well with Briogeo's Curl Charisma Shampoo and Conditioner— this is what I've been using on my wash days, and my hair has never been happier. "For coily and textured types, I recommend our new Curl Charisma Coil Custard," Twine shares. "It's a rich, creamy styler that really makes coils super defined and hydrated."

More than anyone else, though, I recommend Briogeo for the naturally curly among us who are still fighting their natural texture. Trust me, I know it seems easier to straighten your curls into oblivion in hopes of a good hair day — but maybe that's only because you haven't seen how soft and bouncy your curls can truly be.

With the right products in hand (and on your head), you just might find you love your natural hair. Hey, it happened to me.

Shop for Briogeo hair-care products on Nordstrom and Amazon

SEE ALSO: I tried the buzzy new Billie razor for women — and now I actually look forward to shaving my legs

Join the conversation about this story »

• Lady Gaga's rumored beauty line, Haus Beauty, quietly debuted a website. 
• The singer's company filed a trademark for Haus Beauty earlier this year, with Lady Gaga herself using the #HausBeauty hashtag in September. 
• While fans can enter their email addresses on HausBeauty.com now, the website offers few details on when we can expect a makeup line from Lady Gaga to actually launch. 

The evidence is adding up that Lady Gaga is on the cusp of launching a beauty line in 2019. 

Over the last week, fansnoticed that HausBeauty.com — long the rumored name of Lady Gaga's yet-to-be-launched makeup line — was live and allowing people to enter their email addresses into the site. 

The website's appearance follows months of rumors surrounding the line. In May, fans noticed that Lady Gaga's company, Ate My Heart Inc., had filed a trademark for "Haus Beauty,"Elle reports. The filing describes Haus Beauty as a cosmetics and makeup line. 

In July, the trademark was issued for Haus Beauty as well as Haus Labs, another cosmetics-related trademark filed by Ate My Heart Inc. 

In September, Lady Gaga posted a series of three Instagrams with the #hausbeauty hashtag. The photos and video show the singer in Marc Jacobs Beauty makeup, with Lady Gaga tagging the @marcbeauty Instagram account. Elle reports that Gaga's makeup artist, Sarah Tanno, is the Global Artistry Ambassador for Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Business Insider emailed the address listed for support on HausBeauty.com for further information and did not immediately receive a response. 

Beauty lines have long been popular and often profitable projects for singers. For example, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty has been making waves since it launched in September 2017. According to Vogue, the makeup line brought in $100 million in sales within the first 40 days of its launch.

SEE ALSO: Céline Dion danced and sang in the crowd at Lady Gaga's Las Vegas residency show and Gaga even dedicated a song to her

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 7 things you shouldn't buy on Black Friday

• Japanese retailer Plywood is selling giant, oversized backpacks for $234.
• The backpacks were designed by the Japanese brand CWF.
• The retailer's website says that the bags can be used for camping or as an everyday style staple.
• The "sand beige" version of the backpack is currently sold out, but the "olive drag" and "black" options are still available to purchase at the time of this post.

The mini-backpack trend might be over, but oversized backpacks are here to stay — at least according to one brand, that is.

Japanese retailer Plywood is currently selling oversized backpacks designed by CWF. The bags retail for $234 and are sold in three colors: "sand beige,""olive drag," and "black."

According to CWF, the backpacks can be used in a variety of ways

On the Plywood website, CWF advises customers to use the bags while camping, as they're "indispensable for outdoors, carrying heavy gears and bringing in a large number of ingredients to the camp site."

If you're more interested in using one of the giant backpacks inside, CWF says that the bags are "ideal for storage of clothes" and "can be used instead of [a] closet." 

The website says they can "actually be carried as a backpack" and are meant to work just as well as their smaller counterparts.

The straps were designed with comfort in mind

According to the Plywood website, "the shoulder strap is designed to reduce the stress on the shoulder, making it easy to move and transport."

Read more: The best convertible backpacks that turn into tote bags

Rather than using two average shoulder straps, the CWF backpack uses a third middle strap for optimal support.

The oversized design appears to be popular

While the backpack is still available to purchase in the "olive drag" and "black" color options, the "sandal beige" style of the bag is sold out. You can find the remaining CWF backpacks on Plywood's website.

Representatives for Plywood did not immediately reply to INSIDER's request for comment.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Read more:
• 14 packable duffels and backpacks you can fold down to fit almost anywhere
• This $140 expandable backpack was an indispensable travel companion on my last trip — it had pockets for all of my tech and then some
• This $200 backpack from an up-and-coming athleisure startup is the only one anyone needs — here's why
• The best backpack coolers you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The true story behind the name 'Black Friday' is much darker than you may have thought

• The Chinese box office has become an essential part of the success of some of Hollywood's biggest movies.
• Movies that underwhelmed in the US, like "Rampage," rebounded in China. Others, like "Aquaman," dominated the global box office thanks to huge box office in China.
• China is projected to dethrone the US as the world's biggest theatrical market by 2022.

The US box office broke records in 2018 thanks to blockbusters like "Black Panther" and surprises like "A Quiet Place." But the international box office, primarily China, is still essential for Hollywood, and 2018 proved that.

China has approved an unexpected number of Hollywood movies this month in an effort to reach its 2018 box office goal of $8.7 billion by year's end, Bloomberg recently reported. China still relies on many imported movies, but it's fast catching up to the US in terms of its box office. The country is projected to surpass the US as the world's biggest theatrical market by 2022, according to a report from Ampere Analysis released in November.

READ MORE: The 10 highest-grossing movies in the US of 2018, from 'Black Panther' to 'The Grinch'

Movies that underwhelmed in the US, like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's "Rampage," rebounded in China. It grossed $101 million in the US, but $156 million in China. "The Meg," another monster movie, made $530 million worldwide, boosted by its $153 million take in China.

"Venom," Sony's Spider-Man spin-off, overcame terrible reviews to become a global hit, propelled by its Chinese box office. Despite a 28% Rotten Tomatoes critic score, "Venom" is the fifth highest-grossing movie in the world in 2018 with $855 million. $270 million of that came from China.

But another huge comic-book movie could swim past "Venom" any day now. Warner Bros.' "Aquaman" is currently at $750 million worldwide, and is eyeing over $900 million before it leaves theaters. It's grossed nearly $190 million in the US, but $232 million in China, thanks to a rare early release ahead of its domestic debut.

Chinese audiences love monster movies, Exhibitor Relations senior box-office analyst Jeff Bock told Business Insider earlier this year, and some of China's top Hollywood movies fall into that category, like "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,""Aquaman,""Venom,""The Meg," and "Rampage."

"Monster movies are bonafide box-office gold in China," Bock said.

But Chinese audiences also flocked to the theater for the likes of "Mission: Impossible — Fallout," showing that it's not all about monster mayhem.

Nine Hollywood movies entered the top 20 at the Chinese box office this year, according to Box Office Mojo. We've rounded them up, including the Chinese, domestic, and worldwide box office for each.

Below are the nine biggest Hollywood movies in China in 2018, ranked by Chinese box office (all numbers are according to Box Office Mojo unless otherwise stated):

SEE ALSO: 13 of the biggest movie flops of 2018 that failed dramatically at the box office

9. "Ant-Man and the Wasp"

Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 18

Chinese box office: $121,203,074

Domestic box office: $216,648,740

Worldwide box office: $622,674,139

Estimated production budget: $162 million (source: Variety)

8. "The Meg"

Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 16

Chinese box office: $153,033,208

Domestic box office: $145,443,742

Worldwide box office: $530,243,742

Estimated production budget: $130 million

7. "Rampage"

Overall ranking at Chinese box office: 15

Chinese box office: $156,381,897

Domestic box office: $101,028,233

Worldwide box office: $428,028,233

Estimated production budget: $120 million

• Last week, two explorers (trekking separately) became the first people ever to cross Antarctica alone and unaided.
• American adventurer Colin O'Brady reached his destination on December 28. British army captain Louis Rudd completed his mission two days later. 
• Each man spent more than 50 days in solitude and traveled over 900 miles.
• During his trek, Rudd mostly survived on freeze-dried meals, porridge, tropical trail mix, and chocolate bars. O'Brady relied on special "Colin Bars" designed for him.

After 56 days of travel, British Army captain Louis Rudd has become the second person ever to cross Antarctica alone and unaided.

Rudd reached the Ross Ice Shelf on Friday, finishing the treacherous crossing just two days after American Colin O'Brady achieved the same feat. 

Both explorers set out in early November, though Rudd told The Observer that he did not think of the trek as a competition. In fact, Rudd said he was unaware of O'Brady's plan to cross the southern continent until a few days before Rudd left the United Kingdom. 

The 49-year-old British adventurer skied more than 900 miles in honor of explorer Henry Worsley, a close friend who died while trying to complete the same journey in 2016. In an interview with The New Yorker, Rudd said Worsley introduced him to polar exploration, teaching him how to move through blinding whiteouts and spot crevasses in the ice.

Both O'Brady and Rudd kept their load light, since neither man got resupplied. That means they had to pull all their food, fuel, and gear behind them on a sled. Each explorer brought only one pair of underwear, but their provisions still weighed a significant amount. O'Brady said he carried about 400 pounds, more than 50% of which was food. 

Rudd told The Observer that in the mornings, he ate porridge with hot chocolate. For dinner, he consumed freeze-dried meals and protein shakes. Before setting off, he said, he also bought 70 bags of tropical trail mix. Rudd snacked on milk chocolate bars, salami, and cheese as well.

O'Brady's diet throughout the trek was more tailored — the American worked with a sponsor to design special high-calorie "Colin Bars" based on his nutrition needs.

Both men said they lost significant amounts of weight as they battled their way across the ice. Rudd estimated that he lost about 33 pounds over the last two months — roughly one-fifth of his weight.

"I’ve got chicken legs, my arms are stick thin," he told The Observer. "I had to sew a tuck into the waistband of my underpants and thermal leggings after I felt them slipping down when I was skiing."

'This is horrific'

In January 2016, Worsley decided to abandon his journey just 30 miles from the finish line. He had been unable to leave his tent for two days, so he called for emergency help and was airlifted to a hospital in Chile.

The 55-year-old explorer underwent surgery for bacterial peritonitis — an infection in the tissue lining his abdomen — but he died due to organ failure. 

To honor Worsley's life, Rudd carried a flag featuring the late explorer's family crest.

But until the end, it was uncertain whether either he or O'Brady would succeed in crossing Antarctica, Rudd said. Every person who had tried before them either gave up or died.

The trek was both the longest distance either man had ever traveled in Antarctica and the longest time spent alone. Even though O'Brady's training included a 400-mile test run in Greenland, the American said nothing could have fully prepared him for more than 50 days of solitude.  

Read more:An American adventurer has become the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided. His training included Buddhist retreats and a 400-mile trek in Greenland.

Rudd said he sometimes found it difficult to keep going.

"I skied through some horrendous conditions,” he told The Observer. "I would be skiing along thinking, 'my God, this is the worst place in the world right now; this is horrific'."

Rudd passed the time listening to audiobooks — including three biographies of Winston Churchill — and music by Pink Floyd and U2, he said.

O'Brady waited for Rudd to finish

Both men began their journey at the Ronne Ice Shelf and reached their destination at the Ross Ice Shelf.

During his trek, Rudd's only contact with other people came during a one-hour stop at a scientific base at the South Pole. About 15 or 20 people cheered him on at the base, though Rudd told The Observer that completing the trek alone and unaided meant he was prohibited from going inside or accepting any supplies.

When the British adventurer completed his journey on Friday, O'Brady was waiting for him. In an Instagram post, the American congratulated Rudd and said the two men now had a "lifelong bond." 

"This has been one of the most profound and meaningful experiences of my entire life, and without a doubt my proudest accomplishment,"O'Brady wrote on Instagram. "This journey has cracked me open to my core and nearly broken me many times."

The men didn't get to return to the comforts of civilization as quickly as they'd hoped, though. On December 29, O'Brady said in an Instagram post that poor weather had prevented pilots from reaching the ice shelf, so the two explorers were still camping out in Antarctica, waiting for a plane.

The forecast initially predicted that the men would not be able to leave until Monday, December 31; O'Brady said he was concerned about running out of food while they waited, since the two men only had enough for 48 more hours.

But a plane managed to pick them up yesterday, and they flew to Union Glacier, Antarctica's main hub for expeditions and research. Both men will then head to South America on their way home.

• Read about Colin O'Brady:
• An American explorer just became the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided, finishing with an 'ultramarathon': Photos show his spectacular 932-mile journey
• 33-year-old Colin O'Brady — the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided — survived on oatmeal, freeze-dried meals, and energy bars
• Before crossing Antarctica, Colin O'Brady's training included Buddhist retreats and a 400-mile trek in Greenland

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 9 animated maps that will change the way you see the world

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• My Purple Royal seat cushion has made sitting through the workday a much more pleasant exercise, and thanks to its effect on my posture, it's also improved my time spent standing up.
• The cushion's grid shape collapses into itself to help accommodate your pressure points, and makes sitting comfortable even if you've, say, left your phone in your back pocket.
• Purple makes a variety of seat cushions, from one that's specifically designed for lumbar support to one that's meant for portability. Prices start at $39 for the portable and lumbar-support cushions and go up to $129.

Sitting up straight can feel like an impossible feat. I'm constantly slouching while I work, and it seems like as soon as I correct my posture, I find myself nearing a 45-degree angle again. Constant posture vigilance is impractical when I'm focused on my job (or just scrolling through Twitter), so I continually let myself fall back into slouching. It's my default position — my resting pose. And it leaves me with a perennially sore back.

I've tried a few techniques to help snap me out of this bad habit. I go to yoga classes, I try to keep it so both of my shoulder blades are touching my chair back at all times, and I write reminders to sit up straight on Post-it notes on my desk. So far, none of those strategies have had a lasting effect (though I'm sure the yoga classes could if I went more consistently). Then, I got a Purple seat cushion, and it's never been easier to avoid hunching over my desk.

Perhaps better known for its mattresses, Purple makes a variety of seat cushions, from one that's specifically designed for lumbar support to one that's meant for portability. I opted for the Royal seat cushion. At $79, it falls somewhere in the middle of the Purple seat cushion price range (which starts at $39 for the portable and lumbar-support cushions and goes up to $129 for the “Ultimate” cushion). Besides improving my seating posture, my new cushion has made sitting down all day for my desk job significantly more comfortable.

But first, how does a seat cushion make you sit up straighter?

Purple cushions come in grid patterns — or they look like large, purple waffles, depending on how hungry you are. The grid shape collapses into itself to help accommodate your pressure points, and makes sitting comfortable even if you've, say, left your phone in your back pocket (guilty). This pattern helps distribute your weight evenly across your seat, and lets extraneous pocket items like cell phones sink into the cushion instead of poking into your behind.

I get antsy throughout the workday, especially because I spend so much time sitting down. The cushion also keeps me from constantly shifting around in my seat — instead of stiffly perching on top of it, like I do on my cushion-less chair, I'm relaxing into it. Not only does this accommodate for items left in my pants pockets, but it's also good news for my sit bones. They start to feel pain after balancing throughout the long workday atop a hard surface. The Purple cushion, made of hyper-elastic polymer, means I don't have to balance on those bones.

Plus, the edge of my seat no longer cuts off the circulation in my legs. Because the Purple cushion has give, it doesn't obstruct my blood flow. All of this helps keep my back and hips in line, making it much easier to maintain good posture.

Something to be wary of with this cushion is that it's not exactly light. While the Portable cushion weighs only 2.75 pounds, that's still adds up if you're carrying it around in a bag with your lunch and other work gear. My Royal cushion weighs 5.4 pounds, so the most I move it around is from one hardwood chair to the other in my kitchen (where I did the majority of my sitting when I worked at home for the past year). However, transporting a 2.75-pound cushion in your car is hardly an inconvenience.

I also wish I could mold my cushion to be the exact shape of my chair. As it is, my cushion hangs off the edge — more of an aesthetic issue than anything, but still something that would be nice to be able to tailor. That being said, different Purple cushions come in different dimensions, and the Royal is the third biggest of seven varieties. And admittedly, I didn't measure my chairs before buying.

Different jobs require different amounts of sitting. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent data, people who worked in office jobs (like lawyers, human resource managers, accountants, and software developers) spent somewhere between 75 and 90% of their workdays seated. Professional drivers sat for over 82% of their time on the job.

If you fall into any of these job categories, I fully suggest giving a Purple seat cushion a try. Enduring pain in your sit bones, tail bone, and legs all day while hunching over your laptop (or steering wheel) isn't worth avoiding the relatively small cost of adding daily comfort to your routine. My seat cushion has made sitting through the workday a much more pleasant exercise, and thanks to its effect on my posture, it's also improved my time spent standing up.

Buy the Purple Royal Seat Cushion for $79 — and check out 6 other seat cushion varieties on the Purple website. Also available to buy on Amazon.

Join the conversation about this story »

• A US citizen identified as Paul Whelan was arrested in Russia on Friday and charged with espionage, and it's not clear how the Trump administration plans to respond. 
• This appears to be linked to the fact the State Department is one of the agencies impacted by the government shutdown. 
• The State Department was slower to respond to queries on Whelan's arrest and one spokesperson said they could not respond because they've been furloughed. 

A US citizen identified as Paul Whelan was arrested in Russia on Friday and charged with espionage, and it's not clear how the Trump administration plans to respond. 

This appears to be linked to the fact the State Department is one of the agencies impacted by the government shutdown. 

When INSIDER reached out to State for a comment on Whelan's arrest, it initially received an automatic response from a spokesman that stated, "I am not in the office because of the furlough resulting from the lapse in U.S. Government appropriations." 

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the National Security Council told INSIDER to "check [with] State" when asked for a comment on Whelan's arrest. 

The US embassy in Moscow also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from INSIDER.

In a December 26 Facebook post, the embassy made it clear it's not operating at full capacity during the shutdown. 

"At this time, scheduled passport and visas services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits," the embassy said. "We will not update this account until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information."

A State Department spokesperson eventually responded to INSIDER and said the agency was aware of Whelan's arrest. 

"We have been formally notified of the detention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Russia's obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it," the spokesperson said. 

Read more: A US citizen has been arrested in Russia on spying charges

It's not unusual for a government agency to take some time to respond to queries from reporters, nor is it out of the ordinary for the White House to tell journalists to ask certain agencies about matters they're likely to take point on.

But this situation is still telling in terms of how a government shutdown impacts US diplomatic operations.

A spokesperson for the State Department told INSIDER employees were notified at the start of the shutdown whether they're in a position that qualifies as "excepted" or "non-excepted."  

"As outlined in the Department's guidance, excepted functions include those necessary for emergencies involving 'the safety of human life or the protection of property' and those necessary for activities essential to national security, including the conduct of foreign affairs essential to national security," the spokesperson said. 

"Many of the Department’s bureaus and posts are implementing shutdown procedures, including the furlough of personnel performing non-excepted functions," the spokesperson added. "Approximately 33% of U.S. direct hire overseas employees and approximately 45% of U.S. direct hire domestic employees have been furloughed."

The spokesperson also said that consular operations, including visa and passport services, will continue "as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations." Overseas embassies and consulates are also expected to continue to provide "routine and emergency U.S. citizen services."

Some State Department operations are continuing because of available residual balances, including Diplomatic Security; Defense Trade Controls fee-funded services; Overseas Buildings Operations; Education and Cultural Affairs; International Narcotics and Law Enforcement; Population, Refugees, and Migration; and the Office of Foreign Missions. 

"Those entities with residual balances available for payroll and other specified activities will continue operating until their respective balances are insufficient to continue," the State Department said. 

David Rothkopf, a foreign policy expert and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the State Department's response to Whelan's detention goes beyond the limitations presented by the shutdown. 

"It would certainly seem, based on the response [INSIDER] got, that the State Department's ability to respond has been impacted by the shutdown," Rothkopf told INSIDER. "That said, it is not unheard of for the State Department to be reticent on such matters nor is it unusual for the White House to punt to the State Department. It is more unusual for the Russians to take someone like this into custody rather than expelling them ... and that of course, suggests the individual may be used in a trade, for [Maria] Butina for example."

Read more: Accused Russian agent Maria Butina pleaded guilty to engaging in a conspiracy against the US

Pointing to a New York Times report that said the State Department did not spend any of the millions of dollars it's been allocated to combat Russian election meddling, Rothkopf added that "the issue at the current State Department is not money."

"Even without the furlough they are soft-peddling pressure on Russia — even as Russian attacks on the US continue and further evidence of their plots against US democracy is revealed," Rothkopf said. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• Each year, Hollywood comes out with a new crop of gripping, thrilling sports films, and 2018 was no exception.
• Movies like "Creed II" and "Uncle Drew" rocked the box office, while "The Miracle Season" stole viewers' hearts and "Free Solo" took their breath away.
• Check out INSIDER's rankings of the best sports movies and documentaries of 2018.

The same core components that make a great movie — likable and relatable characters, inspiring storylines, remarkable underdogs, and more — are some of the many reasons fans are so drawn to sports. It's no wonder, then, that Hollywood comes out with a new crop of movies centered around sports year after year.

2018 was no exception.

Movies like "Creed II" and "Uncle Drew" rocked the box office, while "The Miracle Season" stole viewers' hearts and "Free Solo" took their breath away. 

We ranked the top sports movies of 2018 according to their IMDb Rating. If two movies had the same IMDb Rating, the movies with more reviews were given the higher ranking. In each slide, we also included the film's Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score, Audience Score, and Critics' Consensus when they were available.

18 — Alex & Me

IMDb Rating: 5.5

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 71%

Summary: After failing to earn a spot on the soccer team, middle schooler Reagan Willis trains with USWNT superstar Alex Morgan for a chance at redemption.

17 — Uncle Drew

IMDb Rating:5.7

Rotten Tomatoes Score:63%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 51%

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: "Kyrie Irving's crossover to comedy is amiable enough to score with basketball fans, but Uncle Drew is held back by formulaic plotting and too much product placement."

Summary: Legendary streetballer Uncle Drew — played by NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving — makes a long-awaited return to the Rucker Classic tournament in Harlem alongside his old squad, including Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie.

16 — Amateur

IMDb Rating: 5.9

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 70%

Summary:A 14-year-old basketball prodigy navigates the dark underbelly of amateur athletics as he is recruited to play for an NCAA prep school.

• The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that encourages your body to rely on stored fat as its main energy source.
• The keto diet consists of many high-protein, high-fat, and low-carb foods. 
• As is the case with any diet, not all keto-approved foods are necessarily healthy for you.
• Some of the most popular keto foods that chefs recommend are avocado, coconut, cauliflower, and eggs.

The goal of the keto diet is to keep your body in ketosis, which is when your body uses stored fat instead of the glucose from carbs as its main energy source. With keto diets, there's a focus on foods that are high in fat and protein but are low in carbs. 

Whether you're on the keto diet or are planning to start it, here are a few keto-approved foods chefs recommend adding to your grocery list.

Avocados and coconuts are high in plant-based monounsaturated fat.

Chef Mareya Ibrahim, author of "The Clean Eating Handbook," told INSIDER that because avocados and coconuts are both high in plant-based monounsaturated fat and are extremely versatile, they should be a staple in any keto diet.

"Avocado can help lower cholesterol and is high in fiber, too, so it helps with digestion and ‘moving things along,'" she said. "Meanwhile, coconut helps with healthy brain function, lowering cholesterol, and preventing inflammation and degenerative disease."

Green smoothies and low-sugar juices can be a nice way to add veggies and protein to your diet.

Making sure you're getting enough protein is important on a keto diet, but micronutrient-dense foods, like veggies, should also be actively incorporated throughout the day. Chef Michael of Snap Kitchen told INSIDER that an easy way to sneak in some veggies if you aren't scooping enough onto your plate is through smoothies and fresh juices.

"While meats and cheeses are easy for snacking through the day, it is important to keep lots of vegetables in your diet for fiber, minerals, and water-soluble vitamins," Chef Michael said. "Staying hydrated and maintaining electrolytes is just as important and you can drink water and low-sugar juices and smoothies throughout the day to accomplish this."

Cauliflower is incredibly versatile.

"Personally, my favorite ‘keto ingredient' is by far the humble vegetable cauliflower. It may come as a surprise, it's incredibly versatile and can be used in a number of different ways," Chef Try Silverson told INSIDER.

When it comes to cauliflower, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Silverson said it can be used to make tortillas, pizza crust, mashed cauliflower, or even fried cauliflower.

Read More: 11 surprising foods you can eat on the Keto diet

• NASA's New Horizons probe is about to explore a mysterious object 1 billion miles beyond Pluto.
• The object is known as Ultima Thule, or 2014 MU₆₉, and the flyby is set to occur at 12:33 a.m. ET on Tuesday, New Year's Day.
• Ultima Thule will be the most distant object humanity has ever visited.
• NASA TV and Johns Hopkins University will host live video broadcasts about the encounter starting on Monday.

NASA is about to fly a nuclear-powered probe past the most distant object humanity has ever dared explore. And you can watch from the comfort of home.

Called Ultima Thule (pronounced "tool-ee"), or 2014 MU₆₉, the object is a total mystery to scientists. Researchers aren't even sure what the space rock looks like, since it's 1 billion miles beyond Pluto. At about the size of a mountain — about 20 miles across — Ultima Thule is much too small and too far for telescopes to see clearly.

"If we knew what to expect, we wouldn't be going to Ultima Thule. It's an object we've never encountered before,"Alan Stern, the leader of the New Horizons mission, previously told Business Insider. "This is what exploration is about."

Ultima Thule is thought to be a pristine remnant of the solar system's formation, meaning that photographing and studying it up close with New Horizons could help explain how planets are built and evolve.

In what Stern called a "mind-boggling" maneuver, New Horizons will get its closest to Ultima Thule — within 2,200 miles— at 12:33 a.m. ET on Tuesday, New Year's Day. The probe will be moving at about 32,200 mph.

Along the way, the spacecraft — which flew past Pluto in July 2015 — will take hundreds of photographs and measurements in a highly coordinated sequence.

The first images should arrive late on Tuesday and be published on Wednesday. You'll be able to see those initial images via live video broadcasts.

But because of the limitations of the 13-year-old spacecraft (the probe launched in 2006) and the 4 billion miles of distance, it could take up to two years for New Horizons to beam all of the flyby data back to Earth.

How to watch live video coverage of the Ultima Thule flyby

Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory, which manages the New Horizons mission for NASA, will host a series of live video broadcasts about the encounter.

The segments will be streamed via the laboratory's YouTube channel from Monday through Thursday. NASA Live and NASA TV will also broadcast the segments, despite the government shutdown, led by President Donald Trump over funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border, that has sent many NASA workers home.

"NASA will continue to stun the world with its achievements!" Jim Bridenstine, the administrator of NASA, tweeted on Thursday while announcing that NASA TV would stay on the air.

The first Ultima Thule broadcast will be a press conference with Stern and other mission scientists at 2 p.m. on Monday.

At 12:02 a.m. on Tuesday, the Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May will release a song dedicated to the mission. Video coverage will continue through 12:33 a.m., the moment New Horizons flies past Ultima Thule.

Michael Buckley, a representative for the Applied Physics Laboratory, said there would be a video feed of the moment scientists learn that the mission succeeded. He said live coverage should begin on Tuesday around 9:30 a.m., and that the "OK" signal from New Horizons should arrive around 10 a.m. A press conference will follow at 11:30 a.m.

Follow-up press conferences to discuss the first close-up photos and scientific results from the historic flyby are scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m. and Thursday at 2 p.m.

You can watch the main New Horizons events via the NASA Live video player embedded below.

If you wish to see all the Applied Physics Laboratory's coverage, watch the embedded player below or tune into its YouTube channel.

SEE ALSO: Is it Planet 9 or Planet X? Scientists spar over what to call the solar system's hypothetical missing world

DON'T MISS: Pluto is hiding a gigantic liquid ocean you would never, ever want to swim in

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: NASA has over 100 images of Pluto — and the footage is breathtaking

• Patrick Frazee was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder in connection to the death of his fiancée Kelsey Berreth.
• The formal charges come 10 days after he was arrested in his home in Teller County, Colorado, on December 21.
• Berreth, Frazee's fiancée, was last seen on Thanksgiving. Her body has not been found.

The fiancé of a Colorado woman who has been missing since Thanksgiving has been formally charged in connection to her death, despite her body not being found.

Patrick Frazee, 32, was formally charged on Monday with two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder in connection with the death of Kelsey Berreth, according to KKTV.

The body of Berreth, who was last seen on Thanksgiving, has not been found.

The two charges of first-degree murder relate to two different theories as to what happened to Berreth.

The first charge said Frazee "unlawfully, feleniously, after deliberation, and with the intent to cause the death of a person other than himself, caused the death of Kelsey Berreth," according to court documents seen by KKTV.

The second charge said Frazee "unlawfully and feloniously, acting alone or with one or more persons, committed or attempted to commit Robbery and, in the course of or in furtherance of that crime, or in the immediate flight therefrom, the death of Kelsey Berreth, a person, other than one of the participants, was cause by anyone," the court documents said.

Frazee was arrested at his home in Teller County on December 21, according to a press release from the Woodland Park Police Department.

Read more:Fiancé of missing Colorado woman Kelsey Berreth is arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder

Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young said at a December 21 press conference that they found evidence in Berreth's townhouse that suggests she was killed there.

He said Frazee has been the only person arrested in connection to Berreth's disappearance, and he was unsure whether more arrests would be made.

Berreth, a flight instructor and mother of one, was last seen alive on Thanksgiving, when surveillance cameras captured her entering a local Safeway with her infant daughter.

Frazee told authorities that he later picked up his daughter and hadn't seen Berreth since.

The couple were engaged and shared a child, but never lived together, Berreth's mother said at a press conference earlier this month.

INSIDER reporter Ashley Collman contributed to this article.

• Read more about Patrick Frazee and Kelsey Berreth:
• Police are executing a search warrant at the home of a Colorado man whose fiancée went missing on Thanksgiving
• Search intensifies for Colorado mother, 29, who disappeared on Thanksgiving and whose cell phone pinged 3 days later in Idaho

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 7 things you shouldn't buy on Black Friday

• Being a manager requires thinking a little differently.
• If you want to become a manager, it's important to start thinking like your leadership team. 
• Here are four books that senior business leaders read that can help you take your career to the next level and become a manager.

Business leaders think differently, and that's what sets them apart. 

Once you know how your leadership team thinks, you'll be able to unlock doors to the management level. Either your bosses will realize that you have what it takes to move up the ranks, or you will be better situated to advocate for yourself during a salary negotiation with a manager.

Here are four of the most read books among senior business leaders. Since these books have gained notoriety among management teams, it will help you to understand how they approach various business challenges. In turn, you'll be better situated to anticipate their thought processes and become a better manager yourself. 

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'The Hard Thing About Hard Things' by Ben Horowitz

Ben Horowitz was the cofounder and CEO of Opsware, a B2B software company that was sold to HP for $1.6 billion. Today he is a general partner at the well-known venture fund, Andreesen Horowitz.

Three years ago, Horowitz published "The Hard Thing About Hard Things," a book revered by technology business leaders — everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Peter Thiel has endorsed it.

In the book, Horowitz drives home the need to minimize politics in the workplace. Office politics can cause rifts within organizations, and distract employees from doing their best work. In order to prevent office politics, each company must create a clear promotion policy that all employees understand.

Horowitz suggests that each position within the company have a clear job description that includes skills required to be successful in the role. Furthermore, he recommends that promotions be reviewed by a special committee to avoid inter department misalignment.

'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries

"The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else" this is a key takeaway of Eric Ries's bestselling book, "The Lean Startup." Ries is the former cofounder and CTO of IMVU, which hit a $40 million run rate in 2010.

Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Andreesen have both endorsed Ries's book as a revolutionary approach to creating an innovative business.

Ries argues that the best way to develop a product or service is to focus on finding product-market fit as quickly as possible. To do this, he suggests developing a series of minimum viable products (MVPs), which are rough examples of what a more polished version of the product or service could look like. 

The fast production cycle lets them quickly get customer feedback, which prevents them from investing an inordinate amount of time in developing a product or service that customers won't use.

'High Output Management' by Andrew Grove

While he was CEO of Intel, Andy Grove published a seminal work of business management advice, "High Output Management." It has received glowing reviews from the Wall Street Journal and from Peter Drucker, a well-known business writer.

Grove provides ample advice for senior managers. He says that the manager's job is to leverage her business acumen by improving the performance of her subordinates. This is the key difference between an individual contributor and a manager. A manager uses subordinates as a productivity multiplier.

Grove writes expansively about the importance of one-on-one meetings led by the subordinate. The subordinate should come prepared with a meeting outline, and the manager coaches the subordinate through challenging business decisions. In time, the subordinate will require less and less coaching, at which point, the manager will have helped to dramatically improve the productivity of this employee.

• The AP Top 25 Poll saw no movement at the top heading into the new year, but with conference play beginning next week, don't expect the consistency at the top of the poll to last much longer.
• The Big Ten led all conferences with seven teams in the rankings while the Pac-12 fell out of the AP Top 25 Poll entirely for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
• Here are the four biggest winners and losers of Week 9 of the college basketball season.

Winners

▲ No. 1 Duke Blue Devils — Top spot in the AP Top 25 Poll for second consecutive week

Freshman sensation Zion Williamson and the Duke Blue Devils haven't stepped on the hardwood in 11 days, but that hasn't stopped Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his band of ultra-talented freshmen from maintaining the top spot in the AP Top 25 Poll for the second consecutive week. All credit goes to the second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-ranked teams in the poll, who have collectively taken on the likes of Eastern Michigan, Binghamton, and Tennessee Tech throughout the past week.

▲ No. 13 Kentucky Wildcats — Up 3 spots in the AP Top 25 Poll

A week after picking up a signature win against the North Carolina Tar Heels, John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats continued their success against ACC opponents with a 71-58 win against their in-state rival Louisville Cardinals. The Wildcats now enter SEC play with a three-game win streak under their belts and a good shot at dominating a conference filled with talented rosters.

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• The Chase Freedom card offers 5% cash back — or 5x points — in different categories each quarter.
• The categories for the first quarter of 2019 have been announced.
• You can combine your cash back with the points earned from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, making it even more valuable.

Chase offers two strong cash-back cards — the Chase Freedom, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited— that offer great rewards that you can combine with the points you earn from other cards. While both cards are slightly different, they're both great options and both earn points quickly. I personally have both cards.

DON'T MISS: The best credit card rewards, bonuses, and perks in 2018

SEE ALSO: 5 reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a powerhouse within the increasingly competitive credit card space

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• Maria Hatzistefanis has been rejected hundreds of times in her career since founding the skincare company Rodial in 1999.
• She said she learned to turn a "no" into a "yes" by waiting a day after a rejection and then following up with a pledge to improve her business and try again in the future.
• Young entrepreneurs have a tendency to blame the other party for their rejection, but the ability to take criticism leads to more positive results.

Maria Hatzistefanis has been rejected hundreds of times in her career.

Since founding the skincare company Rodial in 1999, Hatzistefanis has heard "no" from countless stores that didn't want to sell her products.

But 20 years later, Rodial products are available in more than 20,000 stores in 35 countries. They can be found in stores like Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Bluemercury, and Bloomingdales. Hatzistefanis has parlayed her success into a book deal and a podcast, and even scored her company a coveted partnership with Kylie Jenner.

Hatzistefanis says she can attribute much of her success to an important skill she's learned over the years: turning a no into a yes.

"I've always been driven by a no," Hatzistefanis told Business Insider.

The key, she said, is the ability to reflect on what made you get rejected in the first place. That's a contrast from earlier in her career, when she'd deal with rejection by blaming the other party and even questioning their judgment. 

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"When you're a young entrepreneur, in the beginning you want to unpack the rejection and say, 'Oh no, my product is the best and you're wrong,'" she said. "But I've learned you shouldn't burn any bridges, even if you don't like what the other party says."

"Just try to learn from it. Try to look at it without emotion and just read and analyze, and see if there is anything with that rejection that I can learn from to improve myself, my product, my company, to take me to a yes."

Hatzistefanis said one rule of thumb she's developed is that after getting rejected by a prospective client, she'll wait a day, then write them an email thanking them for the consideration and pledging to try to earn their business in the future.

"I'll generally say, 'Thank you for your prompt response, I do understand your situation that there's no space right now, but I would love to keep in touch, and I'll be in touch in 12 months. I'll show you progress, and hopefully we can connect at that point,'" she said. 

Read more:A CEO who starts Monday mornings with her most 'boring and difficult' tasks says any chronic procrastinator should do the same

"Time can fix things," she said. "It is hard, but you have to give it a 24-hour window. You should never react there and then."

It's that kind of measured response that landed her products on the shelves of Harvey Nichols, the luxury department store in London that Hatzistefanis called her "dream store."

"It took me seven years of knocking on their door," she said.

"It's all about being persistent," she said. "You're going to get a lot of nos, you're going to get a lot of doors slammed in your face. But you have to be resilient and you have to keep going and believe in yourself."

SEE ALSO: A CEO who starts Monday mornings with her most 'boring and difficult' tasks says any chronic procrastinator should do the same

DON'T MISS: A man who's interviewed over 2,000 of the world's most successful people shares his 3 best pieces of career advice

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