• Some tips that professional chefs follow can also be useful for at-home cooks.

• Vegetable scraps can be used to make a flavorful vegetable stock.

• Warming your plates in the oven before using them to serve meals can help you to create a restaurant-like dining experience. 

Throughout their careers, most chefs learn quite a few cooking tips and tricks that can make preparing tasty dishes easier and more efficient. And even the most dedicated and well-practiced home cooks can learn a few things from the pros. 

INSIDER asked a group of professional chefs for the most useful cooking techniques and shortcuts they've discovered at work. Here are some of their best tips that you can follow in your own kitchen.

Keep an eye on the shelf-life of your spices and use fresh versions whenever possible

Keeping an assortment of dried herbs in your pantry can be useful, but it's important to know when to replace your spices. Although spices don't technically spoil, they can lose potency. Some signs your spices are no longer as strong as they should be is if their color has faded or their aroma is very faint, according to McCormick. 

Chef Kelly Fields of Willa Jean in New Orleans, Louisiana said one of the most basic cooking tips you can follow is to keep your spices fresh and well-sourced. "It really creates a powerhouse of flavor when you put in the extra effort to intentionally source the best available," she added. 

For a nicely cooked protein, sear it on the stove and finish it in the oven

If you're trying to achieve a nice sear while evenly cooking your meat, you might want to utilize your stove-top and oven. 

"Finish your protein in the oven after starting on the stovetop. [That way,] you can get a nice sear on your meat or poultry and then cook [it] to just the right temperature in the oven," Candace Conley, the Oklahoma-based professional chef behind The Girl Can Cook! said.

The key to making a juicy steak is starting with room temperature meat and letting the meat rest after you cook it

Chef Ashley Eddie of Santina in New York City said she advises bringing your steaks to room temperature before you put them on a hot pan or grill. She said that doing so allows the fat in the meat to relax, which can help you to achieve a nice, even sear. 

Read More:  11 mistakes you're making when grilling steaks

Once you remove your steak from the heat, be sure to give it time to rest before you slice it. "That means cooking it to right under your desired temperature, then letting it cool at room temperature to allow all the juices to settle," Seamus Rozycki, executive chef of Geist in Nashville, Tennessee told INSIDER.

"I would recommend letting the steak sit for at least five minutes and up to 10 to 15 minutes, max. At that point, it should be nice and evenly cooked without spilling all the delicious juices out when you slice it," he added. 

Prepare your ingredients in advance and organize your pantry to streamline the cooking process

Because many professional chefs must juggle numerous orders at once, keeping their kitchens organized is essential. One of the key tricks to doing this is "mise en place," a French term that literally translates to "everything in its place." Many chefs use this phrase to describe their method of organizing ingredients and equipment before they start cooking.

According to Jacob Verstegen, executive chef of LH Rooftop in Chicago, Illinois, a mise en place can help you to stay organized.

"When cooking something, prepare all your ingredients before you actually start cooking them. When it's all laid out in front of you, it becomes a lot more enjoyable to actually cook, instead of rushing around your kitchen and pulling together the ingredients while trying not to burn the first step of the process," he told INSIDER.

Jose Guerrero, the executive chef of ViewHouse in Denver, Colorado, said he also suggests you organize your pantry because it can help you to save time when you're preparing your ingredients.

"Not only does an organized and fully-stocked pantry make life easier, but it leads to more streamlined cooking," he told INSIDER. "I like to build my pantry based off of categories including spices and pastas or grains. Then, I alphabetize each component from ground turmeric to nutmeg — I know exactly where each ingredient lives."

For perfectly-buttered toast, melt your butter and apply it with a brush

Most of us know how frustrating it can be when you go to spread fresh-out-of-the-fridge butter on toasted bread and you end up with a messy, unevenly buttered slice. Chef Jessica Koslow of Sqirl in Los Angeles, California said you can avoid this by melting butter and then using a brush to evenly distribute it onto both sides of your toast. 

Warm your plates before serving food on them to achieve a restaurant-level dining experience

"Keep your plates warm in the oven before serving to keep the food warm," Chef Judy Joo of Jinjuu in London, England told INSIDER. According to Eatwell 101, you'll want to warm a stack of plates at a low temperature for no longer than 15 minutes. Be sure to use oven mitts when removing the plates from the oven and to check that the plates you're using are oven-safe.

To serve everything in a timely manner, plan out when to make your dishes before you start cooking

Figuring out the most efficient order to cook your dishes in can help you make multiple things at a time while still being able to serve them all at once. 

"Time out your dishes. This is important at [a] restaurant and can be at home as well, especially [if your] kitchen only has one oven and one stovetop," Chef Andy Little of Josephine in Nashville, Tennessee told INSIDER.

This tip is especially handy if you're serving a meal with multiple components to a large group of people. Little also said that some side dishes can become even more flavorful over time, so you might want to cook those first. "A lot of my favorite sides, like greens and chili, get better the longer they sit because that lets those flavors marinate together," he added. 

Save your vegetable scraps and use them to make stock

Amateur chefs frequently toss their unused veggie scraps in the trash or the compost pile, but most pros know that these discarded bits can actually be worth keeping. Executive chef Kevin Templeton of barleymash and The Smoking Gun in San Diego, California told INSIDER that vegetable scraps can be perfect for making a stock.

"Onion ends, carrot butts, celery ends and leaves, and parsley stems all make for a great stock," he said. "I also love to use the base of cauliflower and broccoli. Just stay away from seeds and some herbs when making a stock, as they can make it bitter."

To make stock, he said you need to add enough water to your veggie scraps in order to completely cover them, simmer the mixture for 45 minutes, and then strain it. Templeton said that the finished stock can be great to use when making soups and sauces.

Halfway through their time in the oven, rotate your baked goods to ensure they are cooked evenly

"Rotate whatever you're baking halfway through the process, even if you're working with a convection oven," Jessica Craig, executive pastry chef of L'Artusi in New York City, told INSIDER. She said doing so can help your baked goods to cook evenly.

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NOW WATCH: There are serious health reasons why you shouldn't eat your boogers

• Millennials are taking over the mortgage market in the US, according to a new analysis by Realtor.com. The generation now holds the largest share of new mortgages by dollar volume.
• There are two main reasons why: Millennials are buying more homes, and they're making smaller down payments.
• There's long been speculation that millennials would ditch homeownership in suburbs for big cities. But while their timelines may be different than previous generations, the data show their attitudes toward owning a home are similar.

Homeownership is part of the American Dream, and millennials won't be killing it any time soon.

According to a new report from Realtor.com, millennials are taking over the mortgage market in the US. Home-loan data analyzed by Realtor.com show millennials — defined here as the generation aged 19 to 37 — have purchased a larger share of mortgages than Gen X or Baby Boomers in the US since early 2017.

Now, new data reveal millennials are responsible for the largest share (42%) of new mortgage loans by dollar volume, narrowly surpassing Gen X for the first time, and there are two clear reasons why. Millennials as a group are buying more homes than ever before, and individually, they're making lower down payments, even despite rising home prices, which requires a larger mortgage. To be sure, individual Gen X buyers are still taking on the highest loan amounts.

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The homeownership rate for millennials aged 25-34 is still trailing about eight percentage points behind the homeownership rate for Gen X and baby boomers at the same age, according to a 2018 Urban Institute report. Millennials' attitudes toward homeownership remain positive, however. They've just taken longer to get there.

"Millennials are getting older, with better jobs and deeper pockets, allowing them to expand their collective purchase power, and hence, their footprint in the market," Javier Vivas, director of economic research at Realtor.com said in a press release.

Read more: 5 millennials who became homeowners in their 20s share their best advice for buying your first house

"The stereotype that millennials primarily choose to buy homes and live in large metro areas isn't the reality," Vivas said. "Results show millennials' expansion is more heavily conditioned by affordability than in prior years, so their eyes are set on less traditional secondary markets where homes and jobs are now available and plentiful."

The data show that millennials make up more than 50% of mortgage holders in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Columbus, and St. Louis. The affordability factor in these places is purportedly a huge draw. On average, homebuying costs in these markets represent only 25% of the median income for millennials aged 25 to 34, compared to 31% nationally, the analysis found.

Read more: Millennials have been called the 'brokest' and the 'richest' generation, and experts say both of those are true

While millennials may be buying cheaper homes than Gen X and baby boomers at a median price of $238,000, they're putting down less money up front. The average down payment by a millennial homebuyer on a mortgaged home was 8.8% in December 2018. Paired with rising home prices, it's evidence millennials are taking on bigger mortgages, as a group, in order to put down roots.

But all things considered, millennials aren't approaching homeownership exactly as their parents did, as Business Insider's Hillary Hoffower previously reported. There's been a rise in unmarried millennial couples buying homes together and it's due to economic conditions and a shift in attitudes toward marriage, Hoffower explained.

Homeownership is more important than other major life goals and events, like getting married and having children, to nearly three-fourths of millennials surveyed in a 2018 Bank of America study. Teaming up with a partner, regardless of marital status, can make homeownership more affordable, Hoffower said.

SEE ALSO: Millennial couples buying homes before they get married are making a risky move that shows how different they really are from their parents

DON'T MISS: The only right way to save money for a house

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• NASA and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) are developing a deep-diving drone called Orpheus. It recently completed its first ocean test.
• The drone, which is about the size of a large backyard barbecue grill, will be used to explore the depths of the oceans like never before by snapping color photos, mapping the sea floor, and discovering new creatures.
• One day, NASA hopes to use similar technology to investigate the oceans of Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, and search for alien life there. 

Diving to the bottom of the ocean is arguably harder than rocketing into space.

Hundreds of astronauts have left Earth, but you can count the people who've visited the very bottom of the ocean on one hand: James Cameron, Jacques Piccard, and Don Walsh. 

Because of that, we don't know much about what goes on in the deepest parts of the ocean, especially in the hellishly named hadal zone that's 6,000 to 11,000 meters (3.7-6.8 miles) under the surface. Although 45% of the world's oceans exist in that zone, that part of the planet has been a mystery to us land dwellers.

Until now.

Scientists from NASA and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have teamed up on a $1.2 million, privately funded effort to research, design, and build a new robot to explore the hadal zone. The group aptly named the new drone Orpheus, after the mythic Greek hero who dove to the depths of hell and serenaded Hades, the king of the underworld. Scientists hope that similarly, this Orpheus will one day find new bottom-dwelling sea creatures and snap photos of deep-sea life.

"They're almost totally unexplored and it's a very, very inhospitable environment for doing exploration," NASA robot engineer John Leichty, who helped design and build the Orpheus drone, told Business Insider. "But there's a lot of creatures that live there."

Diving that deep is hard. Scientists at WHOI thought their Nereus deep-ocean vehicle could get there in 2014, but the remote-operated machine was lost some six miles under the sea after just six weeks of exploration. So for this project, engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (like Leichty) are lending a hand.

Their goal is to create a drone submersible so small and so light that they'll one day be able to shoot it into space to explore other oceans. Orpheus is the first step in that direction.

Read More: The solar system has at least 8 giant, secret oceans where alien life may exist — here's where and how big they are

"It's the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother of the vehicle that may go to Europa," WHOI biologist Tim Shank, who leads the Hadex, or hadal zone exploration mission, told Business Insider.

A first test of the drone submarine

The Orpheus drone is about the size of a backyard grill and weighs 600 pounds.

The team completed the first untethered, autonomous test of the new drone in September, just outside Cape Cod Bay. The robot went 176 meters (roughly 577 feet) below the surface, which is still far above the hadal zone, so it's clear Orpheus isn't ready for prime time yet.

"There's a lot of work that we need to do on improving the autonomy of it to be able to carry out more complex missions," Leichty said. That's especially true when it comes to navigating underwater and making sure "not to run into things," he added.

Orpheus is equipped with four Go-Pro like cameras (with flashes), both to help the vehicle navigate on its own and to capture the scenery.

"I guess a good analogy is maybe how with your phone, you can take a panoramic picture," Leichty said. "We're trying to do that same thing, but at the bottom of the ocean."

OceanX/Bloomberg Philanthropies, one of the funders of the Orpheus project, released new video of the quest on Wednesday:

During the 577-foot-deep test dive, Leichty said, Orpheus's cameras glimpsed some "crab-like" and "tube-shaped" creatures. The team at WHOI also combined 40 images of the sea floor that Orpheus captured to create a 3-D mosaic. 

Communications from Earth's surface can take longer to reach the sea floor than the moon. So the Orpheus drone is completely autonomous — when it decides (on its own) to come up for air, it releases a couple of steel weights that fall to the sea floor, allowing the machine to float up to the surface. Ideally, the drone will do this when it has completed its mission or if it times out.

"Hopefully it runs and goes, does its mission, and then returns to the surface and tells you where it is to be retrieved," Leichty said.

If something goes wrong, the weights on the vehicle are designed to rust off within about a day, which would force the orange explorer back to the surface. 

Searching for new kinds of life on Earth and in space

In the hadal zone, where Orpheus will one day travel if all goes to plan, the pressure can reach 16,000 pounds per square inch (psi), which is more than a thousand times the pressure at sea level (14.7 psi).

That's not a place NASA has tended to care much about in the past — "NASA doesn't really do ocean exploration," Leichty said — but the pressure at the bottom of Earth's oceans happens to be remarkably similar to the pressure on Jupiter's tantalizingly watery moon, Europa.

"The ocean of Europa — that is thought to be one of the most likely places for life to exist right now, not just maybe in the past some time," Leichty said.

That makes the Jovian moon a ripe place to search for aliens.

But before a mission to Europa ever becomes possible, scientists must learn how to recognize and observe forms of life that might thrive at such pressures, so that researchers don't wind up ignoring an unknown sign of life that's right in front of their eyes. The ability to recognize living beings at the bottom of the ocean — the otherworldly animals that thrive inside long, narrow ocean trenches — is one of Shank's biggest concerns.

"How did trench animals come to be?" Shank wonders. "Did life start in the trenches and then migrate out of the trenches? Or did it migrate into trenches and get caught there and stay there?"

A deep-ocean detective

Many of the spots on Earth that the Orpheus team wants the drone to explore are near the planet's subduction zones, where areas of the sea floor get pushed below continental crust and lava flows. Submarine volcanoes are far more common than eruptions on land, and sizzling underwater vents sprout up in the areas where lava churns, creating an environment where life can thrive. Scientists didn't realize these vents even existed until 1977.

Shank is convinced the team will find never-before-seen microbes in areas near these deep-ocean vents. That could lead to the development of new antibiotics and other drugs, as well as new ways of thinking about the necessary conditions for life.

Orpheus is designed to be a kind of ocean-floor detective in such areas; it's being outfitted with sensors to detect methane, hydrogen sulfide, and helium, which are all promising ingredients for life. 

"Animals like tube worms and clams and mussels and shrimp and snails love the hydrogen sulfide," Shank said.

Unlike other underwater vehicles, Orpheus is designed to sit right on the sea floor and sniff these creatures out. 

"Then it will pick up off of the sea floor and, like a grasshopper, land again somewhere else," Shank said.  

Eventually, the plan is for Orpheus to be joined by a fleet of other grill-sized drones. Shank referred to this as an "armada," and said the troupe of about 20 drones would sniff around the deepest corners of world's oceans for clouds of hydrogen sulfide, then zero in on them, land, and snap photos. 

"These areas are going to be the next thing that will change the way we think about how life can exist on Earth — or any other planetary body," he said.

SEE ALSO: Humans are about to touch the deepest corners of the ocean for the first time — an endeavor as dangerous as landing on the moon

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This is a preview of the Influencer Marketing (2018) research report from Business Insider Intelligence. To learn more about the top platforms, as well as strategies for social media influencer marketing, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.

The concept of a brand hiring a popular personality to promote a product or service isn't new, and brands know that celebrity endorsements can sell products. In the age of social media, however, brands are finding new ways to leverage popular figures as brand ambassadors, and these people aren't necessarily famous actors, singers, or athletes.

How brands are leveraging social media influencer marketing

While brands certainly continue to tap celebrities for endorsement deals, they’re also starting to enlist social media personalities, broadly known as “influencers,” for advertising campaigns. Social influencers generally focus on specific content areas — like fashion, beauty, parenting, or gaming — and cater their content to a specific vertical.

A new report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, identifies the ways brands can find and manage relationships with social media influencers. It notes the most engaging industry verticals, the pitfalls to avoid, and the opportunities to cash-in on. Finally, it explores how major social platforms are increasingly building out tools that enable their most popular users to build their personal brands.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Influencer marketing ad spend is poised to reach between $5 billion and $10 billion in 2022. Taking the midpoint of $7.5 billion as a base case, this represents a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38%.
• Brands need to fine-balance providing influencers with enough creative freedom, while also ensuring the messaging positively reflects the brand. Nearly 40% of influencers believe that overly restrictive content guidelines are one of the biggest mistakes brands and agencies make when working with them. 
• Influencers tend to have higher user engagement than content generated by brands. The average influencer engagement rate across industry verticals is 5.7%. As a comparison, the average engagement rate for brands on Instagram has fluctuated between 2-3% in the past year. 
• Authenticity is key for influencer marketing messaging. Brands should give influencers sufficient creative freedom to keep posts authentic, as it makes posts less likely to be dismissed by users. Other best practices include repurposing influencer content for multiple platforms, evaluating the audience and following of an influencer, and leveraging data to optimize future campaigns. 

 In full, the report:

• Outlines recent steps the top social platforms are taking for influencer posts.
• Details the best practices brands should adopt when starting out with influencer marketing. 
• Discusses the top verticals that are poised to benefit the most from influencer marketing, and which ones are growing. 
• Highlights the factors that will be critical for compliance with social platforms and the FTC.

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• At an analyst event on Thursday, Verizon announced it would launch mobile 5G service in more than 30 US cities this year.
• It expects to release the first 5G-capable smartphone in the first half of the year.
• Verizon also walked back previous comments about plans to grow its new 5G Home service.

Verizon will launch its mobile 5G network in more than 30 US cities in 2019, the company said at an event it held for investors on Thursday. Verizon didn't identify the cities or how much the service would cost.

The company also said its first 5G-capable Samsung Galaxy smartphone would be available in the first half of 2019, limited to Verizon subscribers. Verizon said it expects to be about 18 months ahead of rivals in adopting mobile 5G.

While Verizon broke news about its mobile 5G strategy, the company hedged plans for the rollout of its 5G Home service. Verizon launched the service in four markets in October. The service provides 5G fixed-wireless broadband using radio signals and the installation of an antenna outside of the home to deliver internet.

"We certainly still see line of sight to getting to 30 million households in the US with that product over the next few years,"Verizon CFO Matt Ellis said at an event last November.

At today's investor event, Verizon CTO Kyle Malady qualified that statement, saying the company could get to the 30 million figure in five to eight years based on current technology and generation of 5G. But other factors like new technologies and speeds marketed to consumers need to be considered, he said.

In Verizon's first four test cities, the company marketed 300 megabit per second speeds. But not all customers want such fast speeds, and in many cases, 100 will suffice, he said. Providing 100 megabit-per-second speeds would let Verizon cover more households. But in competitive markets, people will expect 750 megabit or 1 gigabit speeds, so coverage would be lower, he said.

The company will focus on where it will get the best return on investment, he said, and not necessarily try "to chase some household number."

An analyst at the event seized on Verizon's wavering commitment to reach its 5G Home projection. "Kyle [Malady] seemed to walk back the 30 million homes passed for fixed wireless broadband a little bit," Cowen analyst Colby Synesael said to Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. "That's been a focus for investors ever since you gave that metric."

Verizon hasn't said how many consumers have signed up for 5G Home, other than to say that about half of the customers who signed up were new to Verizon. The company said it expects its 5G business to be a meaningful contribution by 2021.

SEE ALSO: Pay TV distributors are looking to new video packages after another disastrous quarter, and it might be their only option

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• Police in San Antonio arrested a duo they say used the online dating service PlentyofFish to lure dates and rob them.
• Police say Chentel Dancer, 19, and Ervin Jackson, 22, robbed at least two men in a similar fashion this past Friday and Saturday.
• Dancer would allegedly abruptly end the date, saying she had to drive a man she claimed was her brother somewhere. That man, Jackson, would be waiting in a vehicle to rob the unsuspecting date.
• Dancer and Jackson are in custody at Bexar County Jail.

Police in San Antonio arrested a duo they say used the online dating service PlentyofFish to rob men, ABC-affiliated KSAT reported.

Chentel Dancer, 19, and Ervin Jackson, 22, were arrested on Wednesday after allegedly using the dating service to set up dates with men who they would eventually rob. The duo carried out at least two separate robberies on February 15 and 16, following the same pattern each time, police told My San Antonio.

In both cases, Dancer would be on the date at San Antonio bar Doc Browns. At some point, police told My San Antonio, she would interrupt their time together, telling the man she was with that a man she said was her brother needed a ride.

Once in the car, Dancer would introduce her date to Jackson, who she claimed was her brother. At that point, they would begin to drive away, police told ABC-affiliated KSAT. According to a statement from the San Antonio Police Department on Facebook, at least one man was robbed at gunpoint. 

Read more: An Ohio woman is accused of murdering a man she met on the dating website PlentyOfFish

Jackson and Dancer were arrested on Wednesday and have each been charged with two counts of aggravated robbery. 

• Read more:
• I'm 25, and I talked to 3 single women in their 50s about what it's like to use dating apps like Tinder and Bumble. Their experiences surprised me
• 2 men have been charged with hate crimes after using Grindr to allegedly rob and beat gay men
• A woman sent more than 159,000 text messages to a man she's accused of stalking after going on a single date, according to police

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Tesla shares dropped Thursday after Consumer Reports said it could no longer recommend the Model 3 due to a variety of problems the publication's members have raised.
• A Tesla spokesperson told Consumer Reports the company had already made "'significant improvements' to correct the issues that Model 3 owners raised."
• Watch Tesla trade live.

Tesla shares dropped more than 3% Thursday, below $300, after Consumer Reports said it could no longer recommend the Model 3 due to a variety of problems the publication's members have raised. 

"Consumer Reports can no longer recommend the newest Tesla — the Model 3 electric sedan — because members say they've identified a number of problems with their cars, including issues with its body hardware, as well as paint and trim. CR members reported these results in our annual reliability survey, which includes data on about 470,000 vehicles," Patrick Olsen of Consumer Reports said.

A Tesla spokesperson told Consumer Reports the company has already made "'significant improvements' to correct the issues that Model 3 owners raised" with the publication.

Olsen highlighted the Model 3's importance to the company.

"The Model 3 is a critical car for Tesla," he wrote.

"It's the automaker's first attempt at a true mass-market electric vehicle (EV), and its long, bumpy launch into the consumer market starting in late 2017 was greeted by EV enthusiasts with a mixture of anticipation and frustration. The Model 3 rollout was plagued by numerous production delays and extraordinarily long wait times for customers who put down orders more than a year before delivery."

The report comes one month after Tesla reported quarterly earnings that fell short of analysts' estimates, though the company's revenue topped expectations.

The Elon Musk-led company told shareholders it would "continue to produce Model 3 vehicles at maximum production rates throughout 2019."

Tesla said it delivered 63,359 Model 3 vehicles to North American customers during the fourth-quarter, and in January began producing Model 3 vehicles for Europe and China. The two markets are considered important growth opportunities for the company. 

Prior to the report, RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak told clients he thinks Tesla has "underestimated the cost curves and manufacturing side of the equation" for the Model 3. 

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• You can search Google with an image when a simple word search is insufficient.  
• A "reverse image search" returns similar images, websites that use that particular image, and websites related to the subject of your image.

Google Images is a great place to do a traditional search for pictures of tuxedo cats or skull tattoos. You can also do a reverse image search to find information about a specific photo or graphic.

There are other reverse image search tools, but Google Images is robust, easy to use – and free.

Here's how to search by image on Google.

What is reverse image search?

When you do a reverse image search on Google, you place a photo or a link to an image in the browser. Google finds websites featuring your image as well as related images.

Google Images also detects the subject of your photo and brings up other websites related to, for example, tuxedo cats.

Here are just a few of the uses for reverse image search:

• Find information about something in a photo. An image search could bring up a website that includes a person's name or information about a product.
• Uncover plagiarism. A reverse image search will bring up similar images. This can reveal whether an image was copied from someone else's work.
• Find other similar images. If you want photos of tuxedo cats that look just like your Bootsie, Google image search will find them for you.

How to reverse search an image on your smartphone or tablet

You can do a reverse image search on Android devices, iPhones, and iPads. This search is limited to images found on the internet. If you want to search with photos or graphics from your own files, you'll have to use a computer.

You'll need to download the Google Chrome app to do a reverse image search on your smartphone.

1. Open images.google.com on the Chrome app.
2. Describe the image you want to search. For example, you could type "tuxedo cat."
3. Tap the search icon. Chrome will give you images that match your search terms.
4. Choose an image to search. Hold your finger on the image until a menu pops up.
   
   
5. Choose "Search Google for this image" to find similar images and related pages.
   
   
   
6. The search results default to images. Tap the categories above your search to see all sites related to your search terms, videos, news, and more.

How to reverse search an image with Google on your computer

You can do a more robust Google image search on your computer. You can upload a file from your computer or search for an image you find on the web. Google Images works with the Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers.

To search for an image from your files:

• Open images.google.com.
• Click the camera icon to start a reverse image search.
• Select the "Upload an image" tab.
• Select "Choose File" to browse your files and pick an image to search. Or drag and drop an image file into the browser window.

It's that simple. You'll have hundreds of photos of tuxedo cats that look like your Bootsie within seconds.

You can also copy the URL of a photo you find online and use that to search.

• Right click on the image you want to search.
• Choose "Copy image address."
• Open images.google.com.
• Click the camera icon to start a reverse image search.
• Select the "Paste image URL" tab.
• Paste the URL.
• Click on the "Search by image" button.

There are two more ways to search for images you find on the web.

• Use the "Upload an image" tab to drag and drop an image from a website into the search box.
• Right-click on an image and choose "Search Google for image." This will open a new tab with the search results.

• Read more:

• How to make Google your homepage on any major web browser
  
  How to change the language in your Google Chrome browser
  
  How to take a screenshot on a Google Pixel 2 or 3, including alternate methods

SEE ALSO: How you can use the Google Translate app to translate languages offline

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• There is no cure for cancer, but there are many ways we can reduce our risk of developing some types of the deadly class of diseases.
• Some of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risk include staying active, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight, especially around your waistline.
• Fortunately, many of the behaviors that help keep us trim, like eating plants, are also great cancer-fighters. 

Cancer is a dangerous and common class of diseases: it's the second-leading cause of death in the US, and you probably know at least a few people who have been diagnosed. More than 15.5 million Americans — nearly one in 20 — have had cancer in the past or currently do, according to the American Cancer Society.

Yet nearly half of US cancer cases and deaths are linked to preventable risk factors. Similarly, experts in the UK estimate that 4 in 10 cancer cases there are preventable with lifestyle changes. 

Cancer fundamentally messes with the way our bodies function, perversely changing the way cells grow and divide inside the body. All cases of cancer are the result of damage or changes in our DNA. Some cancers are genetic — there are certain genes that make it more likely people will develop cancers like breast and colon — but many aren't.

So a healthy diet and way of life can go a long way towards reducing your risk. Here is a rundown of some of the simplest and most effective ways that science suggests you can lower your risk of cancer right now.

SEE ALSO: 32 of the most dangerous things science has strongly linked to cancer

The number one thing you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer is straightforward and well known: stop smoking, or don't start.

Smoking is the biggest cancer-causer around.

There's no debate that it causes lung cancer, which is the deadliest cancer in the world. Lung cancer kills more people every year than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined.

In the UK, smoking causes 7 of every 10 lung cancer cases. Worldwide, it's is associated with 80% of lung cancer diagnoses.

The cancer risks associated with smoking don't stop at your lungs. Smoking can also cause cancers of the mouth, nose, sinus, voice box, esophagus, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, ovary, bladder, colon, and cervix, as well as some forms of leukemia. There's also some evidence that women who start smoking heavily in their teenage years dramatically increase their risk of developing breast cancer.

Less is known about the cancer risks associated with vaping, but early studies suggest it is not an ideal replacement for smokers.

E-cigarettes haven't been around long enough for scientists to say much conclusively yet about whether they have any associations with cancer risk. 

But high-voltage e-cigarette vapors can contain formaldehyde gas, a known carcinogen, as well as cancer-causing benzene.

Switching over from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes can reduce a smoker's exposure to toxins and some potentially cancer-causing compounds, but studies in animals suggest that long-term e-cigarette use might still increase cancer risk.

After curbing smoking, the second most important thing to do to prevent cancer is maintain a healthy weight.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing 11 different kinds of cancer: colon, throat, pancreatic, liver, kidney, breast (post-menopause), stomach, womb, ovarian, advanced prostate, and gallbladder.

One reason for this is that our fat cells release hormones like estrogen that can up your odds of developing certain cancers, like breast and womb cancer. 

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.

Amazon's Movers and Shakers page highlights some of the best-selling products over the last 24 hours, giving you an overview of the most popular goods on the site, all in one place. 

The section includes multiple categories, from pet supplies to appliances; but this time, we took a closer look at the tech products that sparked interest among Amazon buyers. 

Routers and home security cameras were definitely trending at the time we combed through various electronics and gadgets — though unique finds like spy cameras and sunrise alarm clocks also made the list.

Here are a few of our favorite tech Movers and Shakers:

SEE ALSO: Insider Picks Buying Guides

Sosun Video Camera Camcorder

Sosun Video Camera Camcorder, $63.99

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This compact camcorder has a 1080p video resolution, allowing you to capture crisp footage with the click of a button. The 3-inch LCD screen can rotate, ensuring you won't miss out on features or capabilities like face detection, smile capture, playback, and sound recording. 

Lenrue Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Lenrue Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, $11.99 (Originally $22.99)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This small, wireless Bluetooth speaker comes in eight colors and can last over five hours on one charge. It is compatible with all Bluetooth-enabled devices and has a built-in mic for hands-free calling. 

Apple Watch Series 3, 42mm

Apple Watch Series 3 42MM, GPS + Cellular (Certified Refurbished), $254

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

It's no wonder the refurbished 42mm Apple watch series 3 is trending right now, considering that it's a fraction of the original price but in like-new condition. The watch has a stainless steel exterior, GPS and cellular, and Bluetooth connectivity — plus it's water-resistant. 

• Michael Cohen, a former personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, will testify in a public hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Wednesday.
• The Oversight Committee is chock full of far-right and far-left members of Congress, some of whom are known for making a big show and grilling witnesses.
• Cohen will also make other testimonies before different committees next week, but those will be behind closed doors and out of public view.

Michael Cohen — who at one time served as President Donald Trump's personal lawyer and is now preparing for a three-year prison term — is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform next Wednesday.  When he does, he will have to face-off against a handful of eager and frustrated lawmakers from both parties.

Cohen will also face rounds of questioning from different congressional panels, including a closed-door interview with the Senate Intelligence Committee. But regarding the testimony before the Oversight panel, which will be open to the public, the former Trump lawyer will be confronted by a number of lawmakers with big personalities on the far-right and far-left, all with their own individual agendas and motivations.

Here are some of the key figures to watch during Wednesday's testimony.

SEE ALSO: How the 15 richest members of Congress made their money

Elijah Cummings

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland is the current chairman of the Oversight Committee, meaning he will set the pace and be tasked with keeping order in what could turn out to be a rowdy hearing.

Cummings has also served as the ranking member on the Select Committee on Benghazi, where he often let his temper fly during heated arguments about the 2012 terrorist attacks on a US compound in Libya.

Jim Jordan

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is the committee's new ranking Republican. Jordan, a close ally of Trump and a former chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, is known to get animated in hearings.

In his new role as ranking member on Oversight, Jordan has become an attack dog on behalf of Republicans now getting used to life in the minority.

Gerry Connolly

Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia is a longtime veteran of the Oversight Committee and has never shied away from speaking his mind.

In January, Connolly said Cohen has a "genuine reason to be concerned" about testifying before the committee, citing veiled threats and statements by both Trump and his current lawyer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

• Wealthy people occupy their minds and time differently than the average American, according to one researcher who studied more than 600 millionaires.
• Millionaires and billionaires typically read, exercise, and work more, but spend less time on social media and fewer hours sleeping.
• From Tim Cook to Bill Gates, the habits of well-known rich people align with these findings.

Millionaires aren't your everyday people — to reach their seven-figure status, they occupy their minds and time a little differently.

According to research conducted by Sarah Stanley Fallaw, the director of research for the Affluent Market Institute and author of the book "The Next Millionaire Next Door: Enduring Strategies for Building Wealth," in which she surveyed more than 600 millionaires in America, a person's daily activities can influence how much wealth they build.

"Focusing on goals is related to building wealth, regardless of age and income," she wrote. "The decisions we make, particularly related to the allocation of our time, energy, and money, impact our ability to become financially independent."

Specifically, she found that millionaires spend their time differently when it comes to reading, exercising, perusing social media, sleeping, and working.

Even the habits of America's well-known millionaires— and billionaires — align with Stanley Fallaw's findings.

Below, see how the superrich spend their time.

SEE ALSO: A researcher who studied more than 600 millionaires found the same 2 qualities helped them get rich

DON'T MISS: A woman who studied 600 millionaires found how rich you can get boils down to 6 'wealth factors,' no matter your age or salary

Sarah Stanley Fallaw, director of research for the Affluent Market Institute, studied more than 600 millionaires for her book, "The Next Millionaire Next Door: Enduring Strategies for Building Wealth."

She found that how millionaires occupy their minds and time can influence how much wealth they build.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

"Successful individuals are keenly aware of how they spend their resources, including their emotional and cognitive resources," Stanley Fallaw wrote.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

• Several of the leading Democratic presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, as well as incumbent President Donald Trump, will be well into their 70s on Election Day in 2020.
• Historically, that is at the upper edge of the age distribution for major party presidential candidates.
• But rising life expectancies mean that old age isn't what it used to be.

Some of the likely contenders for the 2020 US presidential election are older than most historical candidates.

On Wednesday, Axios published an article noting the advanced age of several of the top Democratic candidates for the presidential race. It included a chart showing the age of each major party nominee going back to the 1900 election, including some of the older Democratic candidates who have announced or are likely to announce their intentions to run in 2020.

We have a similar chart below showing the Republican and Democratic nominees and their ages on Election Day, along with six leading Democratic candidates for the 2020 race and President Donald Trump, who will presumably be renominated by the Republican Party:

Presidential nominee ages have tended to rise over the last 120 years, particularly among Republican standard bearers. The 2016 election was notable, as both parties nominated older-than-average candidates, with Trump at 70 years old on Election Day, and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton not far behind at 69. That made 2016 the first election since at least 1900 in which both major party candidates were over age 60.

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The 2020 race on the Democratic side is shaping up to include candidates of even more advanced age. As Axios noted, three of the leading candidates will be over the age of 70 by Election Day in 2020.

Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who have both officially announced that they are running for president, will be 79 and 71, respectively, on November 3, 2020. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has not officially announced a run, but who has led several early polls of the race, will be 77 years old on Election Day.

Not all of the leading Democrats are septuagenarians, however. Senator Kamala Harris will be 56 years old on Election Day, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be 55, and Senator Cory Booker will be 51, to name three younger prominent candidates.

Read more: Here's everyone who has officially announced they are running for president in 2020

Perhaps it should not be surprising that older candidates are more viable in the 21st century than in the early 20th century. As medicine, nutrition, and general living conditions have improved, Americans are living longer and healthier lives. To illustrate that, here's the above chart, with male life expectancy at birth in each election year marked in grey, according to the Social Security Administration:

Much of the improvement in life expectancy at birth over the last century has come from greatly reduced infant and child mortality, and therefore may not be overly relevant to evaluating the prospects of politicians in the 60s and 70s.

In addition to life expectancy at birth, the Social Security Administration also provided life tables showing estimates for how many years the average male or female person of each year of age could expect to live for each decade going back to 1900. Using the closest year to each election, we found how many years each historical major party nominee, as well as the six Democrats vying for the 2020 nomination listed above, are statistically likely to live past Election Day, based on their age and sex:

Even though candidates have tended to get older, life expectancies have gotten longer, largely balancing each other out. That said, a 79-year-old man like Sanders in 2020 would have an average life expectancy of about 8.29 more years, according to the Social Security Administration. That would be the lowest of any major party candidate since 1900. Biden comes close behind, as a 77-year-old man would on average expect to live 8.29 more years. President Trump will be 74 on Election Day 2020, and the average 74-year-old man would expect to live 11.15 more years.

It's important to note that these are all actuarial average life expectancies. Every individual is different, and the particulars of one's life history and health situation are very large determinants in how long one will lead a healthy life.

That said, even though candidates have been getting older, and some of the top prospects in 2020s are pushing the historical boundaries on presidential age, rising life expectancies mean that old age isn't what it used to be.

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• The same basic math concept behind your retirement account's growth explains why it feels like the robots are taking over

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Upgraded F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters recently engaged aggressor aircraft in simulated air combat in the latest Red Flag, the US Air Force's premier air combat exercise.
• The first details from the exercise suggest that the fifth-generation stealth fighters dominated the opposition, with even novice pilots racking up kills.
• The F-35A participated in Red Flag for the first time in 2017, when it was only at initial operating capability. The fighter had a reported kill ratio of 20:1.
• Software upgrades have since brought the aircraft up to full warfighting capability, making it much more lethal.

The US Air Force put the F-35 up against "the most advanced weapons systems out there" during the recent Red Flag air combat exercise, and the fight-generation stealth fighters apparently dominated — so much so that even the rookie pilots were crushing it.

Pilots from the 388th Fighter Wing's 4th Fighter Squadron took to the skies in upgraded F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, integrating into a "Blue Force" consisting of fifth and fourth-generation fighters for a "counter air" mission against a "Red Force" made up of "equally capable" fighters.

During the intense exercise, aggressor aircraft blinded many of the "blue" fourth-generation aircraft using electronic attack capabilities, such as those advanced adversaries might employ in battle. "Even in this extremely challenging environment, the F-35 didn’t have many difficulties doing its job," Col. Joshua Wood, 388th Operations Group commander, explained in a US Air Force statement summarizing the exercise results.

Novice F-35 pilots were able to step in and save more experienced friendly fourth-generation fighter pilots while racking up kills.

"My wingman was a brand new F-35A pilot, seven or eight flights out of training," Wood said, recounting his experiences. "He gets on the radio and tells an experienced 3,000-hour pilot in a very capable fourth-generation aircraft. 'Hey bud, you need to turn around. You’re about to die. There’s a threat off your nose.'"

That young pilot took out the enemy aircraft and then went on to pick up three more "kills" during the mission, which lasted for an hour. "I've never seen anything like it before," Wood added.

The latest iteration of Red Flag — a multinational exercise aimed at training pilots to defeat enemy aircraft, integrated air-defense systems, and electronic and information warfare tactics — was said to be "exponentially more challenging" than past drills, as they were specifically intended to simulate real combat against a more serious threat like Russia or China. The pilots waged simulated war in contested environments characterized by electronic attack, communications jamming, and GPS denial.

"Those situations highlight the fifth-generation capabilities of the F-35. We’re still able to operate and be successful," Lt. Col. Yosef Morris, the 4th Fighter Squadron commander, said in a US Air Force statement.

The F-35A participated in Red Flag, the service's top air combat exercise, for the first time two years ago. At that time, the powerful stealth aircraft was only at its initial operating capability, yet it still destroyed the opposition with a 20:1 kill ratio.

This year, pilots were flying F-35s with upgrades offering improved combat capabilities and maneuverability, making the aircraft more lethal in air combat. The Block 3F software upgrades brought the aircraft up to full warfighting capability.

The F-35A is "exceeding our expectations when it comes to not only being able to survive, but to prosecute targets," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein said Tuesday, according to Air Force Times.

The F-35A, an embattled aircraft still overcoming development challenges, is expected to eventually replace the aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft.

SEE ALSO: US Air Force F-35 pilot says the legendary A-10 is like 'Chewbacca with chainsaw arms'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The US Air Force refuels combat jets in midair with a 'flying boom system' — watch it in action

• The Chicago police arrested the "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett early Thursday, the department said.
• Prosecutors are charging Smollett with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report in connection with his allegation that he was targeted in a hate-crime attack.
• Smollett last month said two men assaulted him and shouted racist and homophobic slurs.
• But skepticism grew over his story, and detectives pivoted to focus on whether Smollett staged the attack.

A startling allegation of a violent hate crime against a star of the hit show "Empire" evolved into a police investigation into whether the actor staged the attack against himself.

The Chicago police arrested Jussie Smollett, 36, on Thursday. Prosecutors are charging him with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report, according to the Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

Smollett alleged that two men assaulted him in late January, shouting racist and homophobic slurs and tying a rope around his neck. Smollett is black and gay, and he plays an LGBT character on the Fox series.

Cracks in the story quickly emerged, and investigators began looking into whether Smollett paid off two men to assault him in an elaborate hoax.

Here's what has happened so far in the rapidly moving case.

January 22: An anonymous letter reportedly arrives at the "Empire" set, addressed to Smollett and using letters clipped from magazines to spell out "You will die black f-g." The letter lists "MAGA" as the return address.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1097651817855574016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
THE LETTER: “When the letter didn’t get enough attention, he concocted the staged attack” - CPD sources.

Jussie Smollett received a hate letter Jan. 22. It's that letter, the mail angle, that brought in the FBI. "That makes any potential case a Federal one, if they want it."pic.twitter.com/dTk2ECBvhU

January 29: Smollett's manager calls the Chicago police at 2:42 a.m. to report an attack on Smollett that they say occurred roughly 40 minutes earlier.

When officers arrived at Smollett's apartment, they found him with a "thin, light rope" still around his neck. Smollett told the officers the men attacked him as he was walking back to an apartment from a Subway restaurant.

He said they yelled racist slurs, hit him in the face, poured an unknown chemical substance on him, and tied the rope around his neck.

January 29: Later that morning in a follow-up interview, Smollett tells officers the men also yelled "This is MAGA country" after the attack. The Chicago police say that they are investigating the attack as a hate crime and that Smollett is "fully cooperating."

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1090295113228734465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Statement on #ChicagoPolice hate crime investigation. We are taking these allegations very seriously and encourage anyone with information to report anonymously to https://t.co/yYAqzcVIfupic.twitter.com/DxipALHXaz

Source: The Chicago Sun-Times

• Earlier this week, reports spread that Tristan Thompson had cheated on Khloe Kardashian with Kylie Jenner's best friend, Jordyn Woods.
• The next day, Khloe was spotted at an event for clothing retailer Pretty Little Thing.
• A blog questioned Khloe's decision to do the event amid the cheating reports.
• Kim Kardashian West came to Khloe's defense, saying the paid appearance was booked before any of the news hit and that Khloe was fulfilling her commitment.

Kim Kardashian West defended her sister Khloe Kardashian after a blogger questioned a public appearance Khloe made as reports that Tristan Thompson had cheated on her spread.

Kim took to Twitter with a response to 2cool2blog's comment on a TMZ video showing Khloe posing for photographers at an event for fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

2cool2blog wrote, "If someone cheats on you publicly. Y’all going outside the next day?"

Read more:A complete timeline of Tristan Thompson reportedly cheating on Khloe Kardashian with Kylie Jenner's best friend, Jordyn Woods

In response, Kim tweeted that Khloe had agreed to appear at the event before the cheating reports occurred and she was fulfilling her commitment. 

"Would you prefer she lose the [money] too? A single mom has to work too boo! This was a professional commitment planned far in advance,"Kim responded, "and you better believe she is not waiting on anyone to pay her bills or provide for her daughter."

News of the apparent cheating by Thompson broke Tuesday after the NBA player and model Jordyn Woods, Kylie Jenner's live-in best friend, were spotted kissing at a party Sunday by anonymous TMZ sources and a contributor to Hollywood Unlocked.

The veracity of the reports was seemingly confirmed as Khloe's close friends began commenting on the Hollywood Unlocked post. Malika Haqq, who fans would recognize by her many appearances on E!'s "Keeping Up With the Kardashians, wrote, "STRONG FACTS." That was followed by more comments and likes by people close to the Kardashian family, including publicist Tracy Romulus and friend Larsa Pippen. Khloe herself commented with yelling emojis.

Read more:Khloe Kardashian made cryptic posts about betrayal amid reports that Tristan Thompson cheated on her with a close family friend

In his own defense, Thompson posted and quickly deleted a tweet that read, "FAKE NEWS."

Representatives for Khloe and Tristan didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's requests for comment.

This isn't the first time Thompson has been accused of cheating. While Khloe was preparing to give birth to their baby girl, True, in Cleveland in April 2018, Thompson was hit with multiple cheating allegations. The Kardashians later confirmed these reports.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Meet the three women who married Donald Trump

• In an interview with INSIDER, Ayesha Curry told us every parent should master a simple sheet-pan dinner.
• She recommends picking a protein, then loading on finely-chopped veggies like onions, squash, and sweet potatoes.
• Curry also recommends trying her recipe for a quick three-ingredient sauce made of apricot preserves, soy sauce, and chopped garlic.
• Curry just launched a new website called Homemade in collaboration with GoDaddy that features more of her recipes and products.

Not everyone has time to whip up an intricate gourmet meal every night. With three children, multiple business ventures, and a new GoDaddy-produced website called Homemade, Ayesha Curry knows this well. 

Given her busy schedule, INSIDER asked Curry to tell us the one meal every parent should learn how to make when they're feeling strapped for time. She says she's been turning to simple sheet-pan dinners to save time and cut down on cleanup.

"Evenings in our home are very chaotic, so sheet-pan dinners are huge for me," Curry told us. 

The beauty of sheet-pan dinners is that they're easily customizable, but Curry has a few suggestions to get you started

"It's usually some sort of protein like salmon or chicken laid out on a sheet pan," Curry said. "I pile on the veggies like onions, squash, and sweet potatoes." 

When preparing veggies that typically take a long time to cook, Curry says the trick is to chop everything in small, even pieces. 

"When you chop up your veggies a little bit smaller and make sure everything's even, it cooks in a flash," she advised.

Once your protein and veggies of choice are evenly laid out, Curry recommends pouring on her special three-ingredient sauce

"It's so simple you would think it took all day to make and it's literally three ingredients: apricot preserves, soy sauce, chopped garlic," she told us. "I whisk it and I pour it over top."

According to a similar recipe she featured in a Fitbit blog post, the sauce requires 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, two heaped tablespoons of apricot preserves, and three minced garlic cloves.

Once you pour the sauce over top, Curry recommends popping it into the oven at 425 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.

"Then you have the perfect one sheet pan, little to no mess, and the glaze caramelizes and it's so good," Curry said.

Curry's new site Homemade acts as a hub for all of her recipes and lifestyle tips, and she hopes it inspires families to spend more time together

"My goal is to try to get people to stay home more, and to enjoy their safe haven," she said of her vision for Homemade. "Getting people to gather at that family table, cook and enjoy a meal together and build that communication. I feel like that's where long-lasting, happy relationships are nurtured and grown." 

Check out more of Curry's recipes over on Homemade.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A recipe called 'Mississippi Roast' came out of nowhere and got shared on Pinterest 1 million times

• Johnson & Johnson is being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission after questions surfaced about the safety of the company's baby powder.
• The investigation and subpoenas come on the heels of a Reuters report that suggested the company knew for years that its baby powder contained small amounts of asbestos, which is a human carcinogen.
• The reason there could be asbestos in baby powder is that one of the primary ingredients is talc: a mineral that's often found and mined near asbestos.
• Unfortunately, most of the scientific studies to date on baby powder have relied on flawed methods. The evidence we do have doesn't suggest it directly increases cancer risk in a serious way.
• Johnson & Johnson hasn't released any information to the public about how much asbestos is or was in their product.

Let's be clear: If you know that your baby powder is pure, there's nothing dangerous about slapping some on a newborn or sprinkling a little bit in some smelly shoes. 

But for Johnson & Johnson, which has come under fire recently due to concerns about contamination in its baby powders, millions of dollars are now riding on a few tricky questions. The first is: did the company know that its powder may have contained some asbestos when they sold it? And second, if there was asbestos in the baby powder, how much was there, and was it enough to cause harm? 

The questions stem from the use of talcum powder in baby powder; talc can sometimes be contaminated with asbestos — a known cancer-causer — because the two naturally occurring Earth minerals are often mined in close proximity. 

Johnson & Johnson disclosed on Wednesday that federal regulators were raising questions about the company's baby powders in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

That federal investigation comes on the heels of a series of lawsuits about baby powder, some decades in the making. The most recent suit was decided in July: A jury in Missouri ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay up $4.7 billion to 22 women who claimed the company's baby powder caused their cases of ovarian cancer.

The company maintains that's not the case.

"Johnson & Johnson remains confident that its products do not contain asbestos and do not cause ovarian cancer," the company said in a statement after that verdict was announced. 

Questions remain about Johnson & Johnson's product

There are clues that suggest Johnson & Johnson baby powder may have had some asbestos in it, and that people inside the company knew about it. In December 2018, a Reuters investigation revealed internal documents from the company that showed that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, "the company's raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos." 

After that Reuters report, Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said again that there was no asbestos in the company's products. 

"We know that our talc is safe," Gorsky said in a video message on the company's website. He added that the company uses the "purest, safest, pharmaceutical-grade talc on Earth," and that the baby powder "does not cause cancer or asbestos-related disease."

Read More: 32 of the most scientifically sound things you can do right now to reduce your risk of developing cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a study from 2009 to 2010 that checked 34 different talc cosmetic products, including baby powders, and found no asbestos fibers. Another study of earlier powders in the 1960s and 70s also found no evidence of asbestos. But Johnson & Johnson has not yet revealed any internal information about asbestos tests or concentrations, and without that specific data, it's hard to know exactly what was or is in its baby powder.

The messy link between talc and asbestos

Asbestos miners have been diagnosed with lung cancer for centuries, but the studies investigating whether talc miners get lung cancer are mixed. 

"To prevent contamination of talc with asbestos, it is essential to select talc mining sites carefully and take steps to purify the ore sufficiently," the FDA says on its website.

Some studies have suggested there's a link between using talc and getting cancer — women who use baby powder report higher instances of ovarian cancer than others. But even the researchers behind those studies are skeptical about their results, since most of that research was conducted by surveying women about their powder use years later.

Epidemiologist Joellen Schildkraut, a professor of public health at the University of Virginia, has said that studies to date on talc powder and cancer — including some of her own — don't meet scientific criteria for causality. Part of the problem, Schildkraut said, is that media coverage and publicity that call into question the safety of baby powder have skewed people's perceptions and memories. That can influence how they report their use of the powders.  

"We did see a relationship," between powder use and cancer, she told Business Insider. "But we also detected some bias in the way our data was collected."

In other words, after reports about baby powder contamination gained attention, more people in the studies started reporting they'd used talc powder in the past. 

"That's a big flag," Schildkraut said. "I don't think you can be conclusive. I don't think the data are conclusive." 

Cancer epidemiologist Paul Pharoah is a leading expert on baby powder risks and a professor at the University of Cambridge. He agrees with Schildkraut.

"It's almost impossible for science to prove a negative," he told Business Insider. "That's one of the issues around conspiracy theories in science. You can't prove to the conspiracy theorist the fact that something doesn't exist." 

Pharoah acknowledged, however, that he has a potential conflict of interest here: He was once a paid consultant for one of Johnson & Johnson's law firms. But he maintains that his "opinion pre-dates any payment." 

Pharoah said it doesn't make sense that women who use baby powder regularly would have higher ovarian cancer rates but not higher rates of any other cancers in that area of the body. There's no suggestion of increased frequency of cervical, vaginal, or endometrial cancer in women who use talc, he added.

"If it were really causing cancer, you would've thought that would've been a problem, but it isn't," Pharoah said, adding, "if you dust talcum powder on your genitals, it's got quite a long way to go in a woman before it gets to the tissues of the ovary."

The US National Institutes of Health and other researchers around the world have also found no evidence that increased genital exposure to talc ups a woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer.

Pharoah even worries that the recent court cases could cause undue anguish for some women — "because if women get ovarian cancer, they may well beat themselves up about the fact that they used talc in the past," he said. 

SEE ALSO: The keto diet could make certain cancer treatments more effective in mice, a study found — and a human trial is moving forward

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Johnson & Johnson just lost another multi-million dollar lawsuit over cancer risks associated with baby powder

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• Moving into your first apartment can be stressful — and it's a godsend when someone can lay out a few no-nonsense purchases you might want to make.
• With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, these are the purchases I wish that I had made, or was glad that I did. 
• You can also find 21 helpful products we've bought for our apartments here.

Moving into your first apartment will likely be stressful. For many, it coincides with such life-changing events as graduating, moving out of their guardian's home, and starting their career. You might suddenly have the responsibility of updating your résumé, buying suitable work clothes, and putting up a security deposit and first month's rent. By the end of it, your brain and wallet can feel empty.  

But, hindsight is 20/20, and after a couple years of living in my own place, I've rounded up 19 purchases that I'm either very glad I made or wished I had before moving in. Most are practical, and some — like easy-to-assemble couches — may not be in the budget. But, if you can't get everything, the ones you can are sure to come in handy. 

Below are 19 things I wish someone had told me to buy for my first apartment:

Wine glasses that guests can't break

Stemless Wine Glasses, $48, available on Snowe

Snowe makes some of the best modern home goods —they're a bit more expensive than average but much more affordable than other luxury options. The wine glasses are a particularly good example: compact and streamlined but undeniably functional. They're elegant while still being dishwasher safe and hard to break, so you can offer guests nice wine glasses without the threat of them winding up crushed on the floor. Even though I have stemmed wine glasses too, visitors tend to favor these. 

A matching set of dishes

Valia 16-Piece Full Dinnerware Set, $39.99, available on Wayfair

If it's your first apartment, do yourself the favor of giving away the hodgepodge cups and plates you've accumulated over the years, and invest in a matching set you'll be happy to own, eat out of every day, and covers all the bases. This is actually the exact set that I have because it's such a good deal (it's currently 67% off). 

Kitchen basics

Kitchen Utensil Set, $15.39, available on Amazon

I spoke from experience when I said that your roommates may have gotten the utensils, and now you're stuck trying to furnish a home with the good luxuries like nice sheets as well as the less glamorous necessities like spoons and forks. Buying the basics in bulk is an easy (and thankfully cheap) way to kill a few birds with one stone.

• In-flight entertainment (IFE) systems are a ubiquitous part of air travel these days.
• Recently, passengers spotted cameras built into the IFE systems on American Airlines and Singapore Airlines flights.
• According to both airlines, the cameras are disabled and will not be activated.
• Airlines purchase their IFE systems from third-party manufacturers, and the cameras were built into the system by those manufacturers.
• The American Airlines system was made by Panasonic, and the Singapore Airlines systems were made by Panasonic and Thales.

In-flight entertainment (IFE) systems are a ubiquitous part of air travel these days — especially on long, transoceanic flights. For the most part, they are innocuous screens on the back of seats designed to entertain us while we jet across the sky.

Recently, however, a few eagle-eyed travelers have noticed that while we watch the screens, they could be watching us.

This week, one passenger aboard a Singapore Airlines flight noticed a camera built into his IFE screen. Another passenger noticed a similar camera aboard his American Airlines flight.

Is someone spying on us? According to the airlines, no.

In a statement to Business Insider, American Airlines said:

"Cameras are a standard feature on many in-flight entertainment systems used by multiple airlines. Manufacturers of those systems have included cameras for possible future uses such as seat-to-seat video conferencing. While these cameras are present on some American Airlines in-flight entertainment systems as delivered from the manufacturer, they have never been activated and American is not considering using them."

Singapore Airlines echoed those sentiments.

"Some of our newer IFE systems provided by the original equipment manufacturers do have a camera provisioned and embedded in the hardware," an airline spokesman told Business Insider. "These cameras have been intended by the manufacturers for future developments."

"These cameras are permanently disabled on our aircraft and cannot be activated on board," he added. "We have no plans to enable or develop any features using the cameras."

Airlines don't make their own IFE systems. They may be able to tailor the content and presentation of the system, but the hardware is purchased from suppliers. In the case of American Airlines, the IFE system in question comes from Panasonic while the Singapore Airlines systems come from Panasonic and Thales.

Panasonic was not immediately available for comment, but a Thales spokesman told Business Insider that the cameras in their systems are disabled and cannot be activated in-flight.

Read more: I flew on the world's longest flight in premium economy — here's what the 18-hour voyage was like.

The camera-equipped IFE systems can be found in the premium economy cabins of select American Airlines Boeing 777-200s, 777-300ERs, and Airbus A330-200s.

The cameras are a bit more pervasive in Singapore's fleet. They can be found in the business, premium economy, and economy cabins of the airline's Airbus A350-900s, Airbus A380s, Boeing 777-300ERs, and Boeing 787-10s.

Thales and Panasonic Avionics are two of the most prominent original-equipment manufacturers in the airline industry. This means these systems may be on planes beyond just Singapore and American Airlines.

SEE ALSO: Delta is the first US airline to fly the new Airbus A220 jetliner. Here are its coolest features.

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