• This is a preview of the AI in Medical Diagnosis research report from Business Insider Intelligence.
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AI is rocking medical diagnosis with its potential to incite drastic improvements to hospital processes. AI can process images and patient health records with more accuracy and expediency than humans are capable of, lessening physician workload, reducing misdiagnosis, and empowering clinical staff to provide more value.

While early moving hospitals are already extracting value from AI in medical diagnosis, most US hospitals are at the very early stage of the AI transformation curve — and they risk falling behind if they don't move now. 

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the value of AI applications in three high-value areas of medical diagnosis — imaging, clinical decision support, and personalized medicine — to illustrate how the tech can drastically improve patient outcomes, lower costs, and increase productivity. 

We look at US health systems that have effectively applied AI in these use cases to illustrate where and how providers should implement AI. Finally, we examine how a leading US health system validates AI partners and internally organizes its AI strategy to offer provider organizations a template for AI innovation.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Aidoc, Allscripts, Amazon, Arterys, Boston Gene, Cabell Huntington Hospital, Cerner, Cleveland Clinic, Epic, Geisinger Health System, Google, HCA Healthcare, IBM, iCAD, IDx, Intermountain Healthcare, Johns Hopkins, Meditech, Microsoft, Mount Sinai, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Oak Street Health, Stanford University, Tempus, UCI Health System, Unanimous AI, Verily, Viz.ai, and Yale New Haven Hospital.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• The use of AI in diagnostic imaging, clinical decision support, and precision medicine offers the greatest cost savings and efficiency opportunities across hospitals. 
• Most US hospitals haven't implemented AI, and risk missing the tech's gain if they don't develop an effective AI strategy.
• Early moving health systems are already reaping the reward of AI in medical diagnosis by improving outcomes, driving efficiency, and reducing costs. 
• The winning strategies employed by hospitals that are undergoing an AI transformation reveal how to best capture the opportunity. These strategies highlight the need for an AI strategy underpinned by talent, data aggregation techniques, and partnerships with external vendors

In full, the report:

• Outlines how AI is disrupting medical diagnosis in US hospitals.
• Details the three key AI use cases within medical diagnosis that will create the most value.
• Identifies transformation strategies US hospitals can leverage to deploy AI effectively.
• Predicts how the use of AI will evolve within clinical decision support, diagnostic imaging, and precision medicine. 

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• World stock markets rallied Thursday after China fixed its reference rate at a stronger level than expected and released positive trade data for July.
• Oil prices rebounded after Saudi Arabia said it was considering all options to stave off further declines.
• View Markets Insider's homepage for more stories.

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World stock markets rallied Thursday after China took steps to calm investors rattled by an escalating trade war. The world's second-largest economy also released better-than-expected trade data.

China fixed its daily reference rate at a stronger level than analysts expected — though it still exceeded the psychologically important 7 yuan to the US dollar, according to Bloomberg. Chinese trade data for July also showed a rebound in exports and a smaller-than-expected drop in imports, according to Reuters. Traders may also have decided the recent equities sell-off was overdone or reacted to the slump in Treasury yields over the past week.

Oil prices, which have plunged by more than 15% since late July, also rebounded after Saudi Arabia said it was talking to other oil producers and considering all options to stave off further declines, according to Bloomberg.

The stock-market rally could prove short-lived given the worsening outlook for US-China trade relations. The Trump administration is set to slap 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods at the start of September.

China does not intend to buy American agricultural products as the US desires and therefore expects those tariffs to rise to 25%, the Fox News correspondent Edward Lawrence tweeted on Wednesday, citing Chinese trade sources.

"Washington's repeated bullying has made it meaningless to continue trade talks in short run," Hu Xijin, the editor of China's state-controlled Global Times, tweeted. "China and the US are caught in a stalemate worse than last round."

Here's the market roundup as of 12:35 p.m. in London (7:35 a.m. EST):

• Asian markets rallied, with China's Shanghai Composite up 0.9%, Japan's Nikkei up 0.4%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng up 0.5%.
• European equities climbed, with Britain's FTSE 100 up 0.3%, Germany's Dax up 0.8%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 up 1%.
• US stocks were poised for a positive open. Futures underlying the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq were up by 0.1% to 0.4%.
• Oil prices rebounded, with West Texas Intermediate crude up 2% at $52.10 a barrel and Brent crude up 1.3% at $56.90.

SEE ALSO: The global trade war has morphed into a currency war — and markets are tanking

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• Two Canadian teen suspects led police on a 20-day manhunt across thousands of miles of wilderness before being found dead on Wednesday. 
• This map by INSIDER shows key locations they took on their still-mysterious journey through the wilds, from one side of the country to the other.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Two Canadian teens wanted for murder who led police on a wild manhunt across 2,000 miles were found dead on Wednesday.

Remains of Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were found on the banks of the Nelson River in Manitoba, police said, five miles from where police fond their burnt-out truck on July 22.

The discovery ends a 20-day saga spanning four Canadian provinces, which involved the military, drones, and search dogs, and put much of rural Canada on high alert.

The childhood friends were charged with the murder of botanist Leonard Dyck, 64, and also wanted in the deaths of  backpackers Chynna Deese, 24, and Lucas Fowler, 23.

The two teens were initially described as missing people when their truck was found abandoned, but were later named as suspects.

Here is a timeline of the case:

• July 12: McLeod and Schmegelsky left their homes in Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, to search for work in Whitehorse, Yukon, according to Schmegelsky's grandmother.
• July 15: The police found the bodies of Deese and Fowler with multiple bullet wounds at Liard Hot Springs off Canada's Highway 97. Nearby was the blue 1986 Chevrolet van that they were using for a road trip.
• July 19: The police found a burned-out Dodge truck belonging to McLeod and Schmegelsky near Dease Lake and declared the teens missing. Two kilometers from the smoldering wreck the police found a dead body.
• July 23: The two were seen in northern Saskatchewan driving a 2011 Toyota RAV4.
• July 23: A car matching that description was found in Gillam, Manitoba, apparently having also been set on fire.
• July 23: Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reported that a Nazi symbol was found on a gaming account used by the two teens in 2018.
• July 23: The two were allowed to pass though an alcohol checkpoint.
• July 24: The body found by the teen's car is identified as that of 64-year-old Dyck, from Vancouver.
• July 24: The police announce that McLeod and Schmegelsky are the sole suspects in all three killings.
• July 28: Police head to York Landing after a tip-off. 
• July 30: Police end York Landing search and return to the main search area near Gillam.
• August 2: Police say they found items "on the shoreline of the Nelson River directly linked to the suspects" which give them a lead.
• August 4: Police find a damaged boat on the Nelson River, thought to be used by the teen duo.
• August 7: Two male bodies — thought to be Schmegelsky and McLeod — found on Nelson River bank.

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• Global Hinge downloads more than tripled last quarter, helped by Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's revelation that he met his husband on the dating app.
• "This has increased national attention on the brand and provided more buzz to the already strong growth we've seen," said Amanda Ginsberg, CEO of parent company Match Group.
• Match intends to build on the Hinge hype with a major marketing campaign centered on its tagline, "Designed to be Deleted."
• Watch Match Group trade live.

Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg's personal success on Hinge helped to more than triple global downloads of the dating app last quarter.

Hinge, which pitches itself as a tool to find relationships instead of hook-ups, received a boost in press coverage "thanks to the presidential candidate, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who met his husband on Hinge," Amanda Ginsberg, CEO of parent company Match Group, said on the earnings call this week. "This has increased national attention on the brand and provided more buzz to the already strong growth we've seen."

Buttigieg — currently mayor of South Bend, Indiana — found high-school teacher Chasten Glezman on Hinge and married him in June 2018. He explained how they met in a CNN interview at the end of March. The story sparked a 30% surge in the number of gay men on Hinge between the start of April and mid-May, while growth in other demographics was stable, Hinge told Fortune.

"We're proud of all of the relationships we've helped set up — including Mayor Pete and Chasten,"Hinge founder and CEO Justin McLeod told the magazine. "We're happy to see that their love story has encouraged even more members of the LGBTQ community to find their person on Hinge."

Match hopes to build on the current Hinge hype with a "big marketing campaign" centered on the app's tagline, "Designed to be Deleted," Ginsberg said.

Combined with the cost of campaigns promoting Match and OKCupid, it expects marketing expenses to mushroom by more than 20% this quarter compared to last quarter, when it spent close to $95 million on sales and marketing. As a result, Match forecasts quarter-on-quarter revenue growth of about 7% to 9%, but expects profits to be flat at $200 million to $205 million.

SEE ALSO: Dating apps like Tinder, Match, and Bumble are still growing, but analysts predict that growth will 'slow significantly' in 2019

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• Amazon has been drawing fire from politicians across the political spectrum for paying little to nothing in federal income taxes.
• The company reported that it didn't owe any federal taxes for the income it generated in 2017 or 2018. 
• Amazon doesn't disclose the precise tax breaks it uses to reduce its tax burden.
• But its annual report indicates it relied primarily on breaks related to stock-based compensation and research-and-development expenses and benefitted significantly from the 2017 tax cuts.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Amazon has become a frequent punch bag for politicians from Donald Trump to Bernie Sanders for the amount of taxes it pays — or lack thereof.

The company didn't pay any federal taxes on its income for either 2017 or 2018 — in fact, it recorded a net credit for each year — despite reporting a combined profit of more than $13 billion for those two years, according to its annual reports. Even in prior years, when it did owe Uncle Sam, its effective tax rate was significantly lower than that of comparable corporations and far less than the official corporate tax rate, according to research done by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, or ITEP.

"Determining exactly what Amazon paid in federal income tax is tricky," said Steve Rosenthal, a senior fellow of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, which studies federal taxation. But, he added, "We know it paid relatively little."

So how does Amazon do it? How does it make billions in profit yet keep its taxes so low?

It's not entirely clear. Amazon doesn't release its tax returns and the information it does disclose to investors offers a somewhat murky and confusing picture of its tax practices.

Still, even if the precise breaks Amazon is using aren't known outside of Seattle, the information it has released does lead to some broad conclusions. The company appears to have mostly benefitted from three primary tax breaks involving:

• • The treatment of stock-based compensation
  • Research-and-development expenses
  • Investments in property and equipment

As much as politicians may be complaining about Amazon's low or zero tax rate, there's no indication that it's doing anything nefarious.

"By all indications, the company is using the tax breaks that have been made available to it by presidents and the Congress," said Matt Gardner, a senior fellow at ITEP. 

Read this: Amazon will pay $0 in federal taxes this year — here's how the $793 billion company gets away with it

Amazon got a big break from the 2017 tax cut

The biggest reason the company didn't pay Uncle Sam any taxes last year has to do with the fact that the e-commerce giant relies heavily on stock-based compensation to pay its workers and executives. A tax break related to that compensation allowed it to reduce the amount it set aside for taxes for last year by $1.1 billion and for the year before by $917 million, the company said on its annual reports. Amazon doesn't spell out how much of that amount it applied to its federal taxes alone, but much of those sums likely went in that direction.

A second big reason that Amazon didn't pay any federal taxes the last two years was the 2017 federal tax cut. The various provisions of that law allowed Amazon to reduce the amount it allocated for taxes by $789 million in 2017 and by $157 million last year, the company said in its annual report. Primarily, those benefits had to do with the tax cut's reduction in the basic corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, which helped Amazon reduce the outstanding taxes it owed that it had deferred from previous years, it said.

But it's likely Amazon tapped into another provision of the law that allowed companies to immediately use the money they spend on long-term assets such as property and equipment to reduce their taxable income — essentially, they were able to recognize the long-term depreciation of those assets right away. Typically, companies would have to amortize that deduction over the expected life of those assets.

Amazon didn't say how much it benefitted from the accelerated depreciation provision. But it almost certainly played a role in reducing its taxes, if only because of the vast sums the company has spent on long-lived assets. In 2017, Amazon spent $11.9 billion on property and equipment, and it spent another $13.4 billion on such things last year.

The third big factor that helped Amazon slash its tax bill was a collection of tax credits. Those credits helped it reduce its tax provision by $419 million in 2018 and by $220 million the previous year, according to its annual reports. It's not clear how much of a benefit Amazon received from particular tax credits nor did the company spell out what portion of those credits were assigned to its federal, state, or international taxes. But it did say that much of its federal ones are related to the credit the US government gives for research-and-development expenditures.

The underlying theme of all those factors is that Amazon — like most other companies — basically keeps two sets of accounting books, one that it releases publicly for investors and one that it files with the Internal Revenue Service. The amount of profit it reports to investors is often quite different from the income it reports to federal tax collectors, frequently due to the timing with which it's allowed or required to recognize certain expenses.

The cost of stock compensation is calculated two different ways

Take stock-based compensation. Under the rules of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, which governs how corporations calculate their revenue and expenses for investors, companies have to report the value of the restricted shares and options they give to workers and executives as an expense on their income statements.

Companies recognize the expense of such stock-based compensation as it vests — essentially when employees can take full possession of their shares or options and can sell or exercise them. But the cost that shows up on companies' income statement for those shares and options is what they were worth on the day they were granted, which typically is months or years prior to when they vested.

The IRS, meanwhile, requires companies to recognize such compensation as an expense after employees exercise their options or when their restricted shares vest. But the cost the IRS directs companies to use is the value the employees actually see when they exercise their options or the worth of the restricted shares at the time they vested — not, for either kind of stock-based compensation, their grant-date values.

For a company like Amazon whose stock has been appreciating rapidly, the difference between those amounts — the grant-date value and the value at time of exercise or vest — can be huge. Four years ago, Amazon's stock was trading at around $530 a share. As recently as last month, it was selling for more than $2,030 a share. For each restricted share Amazon granted four years ago that just vested, it could have a nearly $1,500 difference between the stock-based compensation cost it reports to investors and what it will report to the IRS as an expense for this year.

Multiplied times the millions of shares Amazon awards each year, those differences between the expense of stock-based compensation it recognizes on its income statements and the amount it claims on its tax returns can add up to huge amounts. Amazon's income statement for last year included $5.4 billion of stock-based compensation expenses. That represents the grant date value of shares that vested in 2018. But the actual value of the shares that vested last year — the number it ostensibly reported to the IRS — was $11.4 billion, the company said in its most recent annual report.

Amazon's excelled at reducing its tax burden

Assuming that Amazon did deduct that latter amount from the profit it reported to the IRS, its tax return income would have been considerably less than what it reported to investors.

Although Amazon hasn't always been able to use such breaks to zero out its federal taxes, it's generally been much more successful at reducing its tax burden than other companies.

Over the eight year period from 2008 to 2015, the e-commerce giant paid an effective federal tax rate of 11%, according to ITEP. At the time, the statutory corporate tax rate was 35%. The average Fortune 500 company paid an effective rate of 21% and companies in the retail and wholesale sector paid an average tax rate of 31%, according to ITEP.

"Amazon was substantially more successful in reducing their effective tax rate during this period than most other publicly traded Fortune 500 companies were," said Gardner.

And it may not pay much in federal taxes for the foreseeable future. Companies can save up tax credits they aren't able to use in particular years and apply them to future tax returns. Amazon has stockpiled a bunch of such benefits — some $3.7 billion worth, according to its annual report. 

No one is suggesting that what Amazon is doing is illegal. As Gardner noted, the tax breaks it's taken advantage of were approved by numerous presidents and the Congress.

And the company does pay some taxes. It now collects sales taxes around the country. It pays state and international taxes. It even paid the federal government some $565 in taxes last year that it had deferred from prior periods. 

In a statement posted to Twitter, Amazon said it had paid $2.6 billion in corporate taxes since 2006. It noted that Congress had given companies tax breaks to encourage them to invest in their businesses and workers, which it said it had done.

"We pay every penny we owe," the company said.

But given the company's size and profitability, the fact that it's paying so little in federal taxes is a concern, said Gardner.

"It makes a meaningful impact on income-tax collections," he said. "A billion that Amazon doesn't pay," he continued, "is a billion that some other company or individual has to make up in some way.

"The fact that it's legal, doesn't make it good."

Got a tip about Amazon or another tech company? Contact this reporter via email at twolverton@businessinsider.com, message him on Twitter @troywolv, or send him a secure message through Signal at 415.515.5594. You can also contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop.

• Read more about Amazon:
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• A top DOJ official just outlined why the agency has everything it needs to go after Big Tech — and Facebook, Google, and Amazon should be nervous
• Here's why the failed attempt to break up Microsoft will make or break the crackdown on Facebook, Amazon, and Google, according to 2 top lawyers in the Microsoft case

SEE ALSO: Joe Biden goes after Amazon on the campaign trail

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• Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and self-driving technology are helping the transportation and logistics industry finally transform by cutting costs, optimizing delivery routes, and automating mundane tasks.
• Startups will be the lynchpin of this transformation because they specifically target areas of need  with cutting-edge solutions.
• Business Insider Intelligence examined the top 5 startups within five key areas: digital freight services, warehouse robotics, AI for supply chain management, last-mile delivery robotics, and self-driving car software.

Transportation and logistics industries have operated largely the same way for decades. But the surge in e-commerce in the last several years, combined with consumers’ appetite for same-day delivery, has brought us to a tipping point.

Delivery companies are doing all they can to get orders to customers’ doors as quickly as possible, which has facilitated wholesale changes in how they operate.

Cutting-edge digital solutions (including digital freight services, warehouse robotics, AI for supply chain management, delivery robotics, and autonomous driving software) are forcing traditional delivery companies to either evolve or see their core businesses erode.

Transportation & Logistics Startups to Watch, a new report from Business Insider Intelligence, monitors the biggest change agents in the industry to offer unique insight into the development of the transportation and logistics space at large, and shows how traditional companies are adapting to their new environment.

Want to Learn More?

Business Insider Intelligence's Startups to Watch reports give a high-level overview of the funding trends for startups in a particular coverage area, as well as a list of key startups (by function, what they do, key news, and statistics). Businesses need to understand new competitive threats, technologies, and acquisition opportunities in order to thrive. These reports provide that contextual information in an easy-to-digest manner.

In full, the Transportation & Logistics Startups to Watch report dives into the top 25 companies - five startups across five key disruption areas - that are easing shipping burdens, improving order fulfillment efficiency, optimizing delivery, and automating processes.

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• The latest sell-off in stocks occurred as central banks around the world lowered interest rates to fend off economic crises.
• Bond yields, which fall when prices rise, plunged in tandem. 
• Beyond the immediate concerns about the economy, there's a worrying trend for investors that could persist — and one that a growing chorus of Wall Street experts is sounding the alarm on.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Investors are confronting the possibility that Treasury yields may not meaningfully recover from their decades-long decline anytime soon.

The most recent move lower sparked a sell-off in stocks as it signaled that economic growth was in distress. It coincided with the most significant escalation yet of the trade war between the US and China, and with numerous interest-rate cuts from central banks including the Federal Reserve.

But even if the trade war is swiftly resolved, or if fears about the economy dissipate, there are larger structural forces that could ensure Treasurys and other sovereign bonds continue to yield next to nothing, according to Mark Grant, the chief global strategist for fixed income at B. Riley FBR.

In fact, he thinks it is plausible that Treasurys eventually add to the record $15 trillion pile of global debt that commands negative yields. And he's not alone — even PIMCO, the bond-investing giant, has flagged its reasons for why negative yields can prevail in the US. 

Grant's view is that the negative bond yields across Europe and in Japan, coupled with demand for a safe haven from the US-China power struggle, will ratchet up demand for Treasurys. This would keep their yields compressed at best and turn them negative at worst. 

In Europe, the central bank could soon commence a new wave of quantitative easing — the scheme of massive bond purchases that drove global bond yields into the ground after the financial crisis. 

Having bond yields this low around the world is "a tragedy for investors," Grant told Business Insider by phone. 

Read more:'The greatest bubble ever': One market expert warns that a relentless bull market is on the brink of crashing and explains how to profit from its demise

But before you dismiss this as a phenomenon isolated to the bond market, hear Grant out. He has identified specific groups of other investors that could be hurt if yields stay lower for a while.

"I think this is going to have a very negative effect on mostly US banks," he said. "It's also going to have a negative effect on Wall Street as nobody can pay anybody much interest."

For that reason, he doesn't recommend buying financial stocks, especially in Europe. 

Grant added that lower yields represent a double whammy for pension funds and their clients who are saving for retirement. The fixed-income portion of their portfolios would come under strain amid low bond yields, he said. And as a result, pension fund managers may have to start taking extreme risks in order to earn decent returns. 

"I wouldn't be surprised to see some pension funds going bust because they can't meet their yield bogey," Grant said. 

Grant recommended investing in closed-end funds with the help of a skilled manager as the "best place" to find yields that are in the double-digits. 

He also advised looking for investment-grade bonds, where yields above 4% can still be found — but with additional risk than Treasurys.

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• Joachim Fels, the global economic advisor at Pacific Investment Management Co., thinks negative interest rates on US Treasurys are a real possibility in the future. That would be unprecedented.
• Fels believes three cyclical drivers are fueling larger trends that, when combined, will push the natural rate of interest in the US lower.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Around the globe, more than $14 trillion worth of outstanding debt now trades with a negative yield, accounting for about 25% of the entire market.

The phenomenon — where issuers are getting paid to borrow — was once viewed as an abnormality, but is quickly becoming mainstream. As it stands right now, bonds with negative interest rates attached to them are showing no signs of losing momentum.

Although many have dismissed the idea of negative rates as a far-flung idea, some think there's a real possibility we will see them within US borders — and one prominent economic advisor thinks that possibility is growing stronger by the day.

"Negative yields on US Treasurys could swiftly change from theory to reality," Joachim Fels, the global economic advisor at Pacific Investment Management Co., wrote in a recent blog post. "It is no longer absurd to think that the nominal yield on US Treasury securities could go negative."

Fels paints his thesis of negative-yielding debt within the US around three key cyclical drivers that are pushing lower the natural rate of interest — or the rate that supports full employment and maximum economic output, while keeping inflation at bay.

And he thinks if these trends continue, US Treasurys may soon join the negative-yielding cohort — a development that would dent the appeal of bonds commonly viewed as the world's safest.

That said, Treasury yields still have further to fall. As of 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, they sat at 1.71%, close to the lowest in three years.

Here are the three cyclical drivers Fels uses to back his thesis:

1. A slowdown in the labor market

"Pimoc's US economist Tiffany Wilding notes, six-month average net monthly payroll gains have now slowed to 140,000 from 225,000 last year," Fels stated.  

A slowing labor market translates into increased savings as individuals stockpile emergency cash reserves and become increasingly more risk averse. Excess savings suppresses interest rates.

"With the U.S. labor market cooling off, households are likely to increase precautionary saving in the period ahead, thus adding to the demographically induced saving glut," he added.

2. President Trump's trade war

Fels thinks the latest round of 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods "raises uncertainty and is likely to induce companies to postpone or slash investment spending (and hiring) further, thus reducing the demand for investable funds."

This notion produces a vicious feedback loop. More uncertainty translates into less demand — and less demand pushes down the natural rate of interest as consumption in the future is favored over consumption today.

On Monday, Fels' thesis was proved true when escalating tensions resulted in major US indices dropping over 3%.

3. The Federal Reserve

"Third, with the natural rate of interest likely falling fast due to all of these developments, the Federal Reserve risks lagging behind, thus effectively tightening the monetary policy stance (measured by actual rates minus the natural rate) rather than easing it," Fels said.

With most majority of global central bank policies nearing 0% or below, many market participants already believe the Fed is behind the curve. Slowing growth calls for lower rates.

"But if the Fed cuts rates all the way back down to zero and restarts quantitative easing, negative yields on U.S. Treasuries could swiftly change from theory to reality," Fels concluded.

When these cyclical trends, combine with the broader secular trends — demographically led savings and technological advancements —  a powerful downward force is applied to interest rates.

And for these reasons, Fels thinks negative rates within the US are a real possibility.

SEE ALSO: 'Not investing in China is very risky': Billionaire investor Ray Dalio explains why he's still all-in despite recent trade-war fireworks

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• The White House last month briefly considered ways to weaken the dollar, which has increasingly frustrated President Donald Trump by making exports relatively costly abroad.
• Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday the central bank would not be legally required to participate in potential US efforts to intervene on the currency.
• "That would be, I think, a decision they would have to make," Yellen told Markets Insider of equal intervention with the Treasury. 
• Visit Markets Insider for more stories.

Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday the central bank would not be legally required to participate in potential US efforts to intervene on the dollar.

The White House last month briefly considered ways to weaken the currency, which has increasingly frustrated President Donald Trump by making exports relatively costly abroad. While Yellen told Markets Insider in an exclusive interview that she did not want to weigh in on current developments, she said the central bank has traditionally followed currency interventions when they occurred.

"The Fed acts as an agent of the Treasury in carrying out intervention," Yellen said. "It also typically participates an equal amount for its own account. But that's not anything that's required by law. So that would be, I think, a decision they would have to make."

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in late July that the administration had decided not to take steps to weaken the dollar. But Trump cast doubt on that assertion the same day, saying he "could do that in two seconds" if he wanted to. The White House did not offer comment Wednesday afternoon.

Such an action by the US would be precluded by commitments among economic powers and with the International Monetary Fund. On Monday, the Treasury Department designated China as a currency manipulator after the yuan breached the psychologically important level of 7 against the dollar. 

"China is intent on continuing to receive the hundreds of Billions of Dollars they have been taking from the U.S. with unfair trade practices and currency manipulation,"Trump wrote on Twitter on Monday. "So one-sided, it should have been stopped many years ago!"

Read more:Trump just tapped former economic adviser Judy Shelton for a Federal Reserve seat. She's a fierce critic of the central bank who sees a gray area on its independence from the administration.

Markets Insider is looking for a panel of millennial investors. If you're active in the markets, CLICK HERE to sign up.

SEE ALSO: Janet Yellen told us Trump's attacks on the Fed are 'a first' — and stressed the importance of an independent central bank

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• In 2017, a group of scientists known as the "Ring of Five" detected "an unprecedented release" of radiation in Europe and Asia.
• At the time, no country claimed responsibility for the release, but a new study from the Ring of Five attributes it to a nuclear accident at Russia's Mayak nuclear facility.
• The facility was previously the site of the 1957 Kyshtym explosion, the world's third-worst nuclear accident, behind Fukushima and Chernobyl.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more.

A group of scientists called the "Ring of Five" has been scouring Europe's atmosphere for elevated levels of radiation since the mid '80s.

In July, the group released a study detailing evidence of an undisclosed nuclear accident that may have taken place less than two years prior. The likely culprit, the scientists said, was the Mayak nuclear facility in Russia, which was once the center of the Soviet nuclear-weapons program. 

At the time of the alleged accident in 2017, Russian officials said the facility wasn't the source of the release, even though the nation showed elevated levels of a radioactive isotope called ruthenium-106. Instead, officials in Russia attributed the radiation to an artificial satellite that burned up in the atmosphere.

But the latest Ring of Five study contradicts that account. Their research traced the source to an area of Russia known as the Southern Urals. The scientists also figured out that the release came from a nuclear reprocessing facility, which separates plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear fuel.

Georg Steinhauser, a professor at the University of Hanover in Germany and one of the study's lead authors, said Mayak is the most likely place of origin because it's the largest nuclear reprocessing facility in the area. The facility was the site of the 1957 Kyshtym explosion, the world's third-worst nuclear accident behind Fukushima and Chernobyl. 

Scientists 'were stunned' to find evidence of a nuclear accident in Russia

After the Chernobyl disaster sent plumes of radioactive material spiraling across Europe in 1986 , the scientists in the Ring of Five — who hailed from Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, and Denmark — enlisted the help of other nations to expand their efforts. The group now includes researchers from 22 countries.

The team first detected what they called "an unprecedented release" of ruthenium-106 in the atmosphere in Europe and Asia in 2017. The discovery marked the first time that ruthenium-106 had been found in the atmosphere since  Chernobyl. Even the 2011 nuclear meltdown at Fukushima didn't release detectable levels of that isotope.

"We were stunned," Steinhauser told Business Insider. "We are measuring the air 24/7, 365 days a year, and suddenly we came up with something unusual and unexpected."

For almost two years, the scientists traced the pathway of the radioactive isotope back to its original source by modeling atmospheric conditions such as altitude, wind direction, and the shape of the plumes. 

Ultimately, they determined that all evidence pointed to the Mayak facility. Russia hasn't issued a response to the finding.

The 'single greatest release from nuclear-fuel reprocessing' ever

The scientists don't consider the levels of radiation they detected to be an immediate threat to people's health, but the long-term consequences are unknown. Last year, France's Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety determined that the levels of ruthenium-106 in the atmosphere do not pose danger to human health or the environment. 

The nuclear release was "nothing compared to Chernobyl," Steinhauser said. But he noted that it was still the "single greatest release from nuclear-fuel reprocessing that has ever happened." 

One unanswered question, he said, is whether the population near the Mayak facility ingested any radiation in their lungs. Steinhauser also said there could be reason to monitor food safety if radiation leaked into the soil and water.

"I'm not blaming Russia, because certain types of accidents are difficult to spot," he said. "For me, it is about the lessons to be learned."

After Fukushima, he said, Japanese officials shared information about the accident that helped improve the world's safety regulations for nuclear power. In the wake of that disaster, the European Union began to require "stress tests" to evaluate the stability of nuclear reactors. 

Steinhauser said the Ring of Five was "hopeful that Russia would have come forward" in 2017 in the same way Japan did in 2011. By revealing the mistakes that lead to the accident, he said, Russia could help make nuclear power safer than it was before. 

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NOW WATCH: 12 ways HBO changed the Chernobyl story

• A former Amazon executive turned Airbnb host in Seattle is offering people the chance to attend a mock interview for a job at Amazon.
• The five-hour process costs around $4,600. Candidates are interviewed and then given feedback about the impression they gave. This includes details on whether they would be hired or not.
• One person who attended the mock interview, and left a review on Airbnb, described it as "intense."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

An Airbnb host in Seattle is offering mock Amazon interviews for $4,600.

The Seattle "experience" was listed by a host identified as Nick. Nick appears to be Nick Dimitrov, a former Microsoft executive who cofounded Amazon Game Studios in 2013, according to Airbnb and his LinkedIn profile.

Dimitrov now runs Amazon Bound, a company founded last year to "help prepare job applicants to interview effectively with Amazon," his LinkedIn says.

Twitter user Dan Ports was among the first to spot Dimitrov's Airbnb listing. He tweeted:

According to the Airbnb listing, the five-hour interview takes place in a coworking space in Seattle's Belltown area. Candidates are interviewed by former Amazon employees who they are matched with based on the job they're aiming to secure.

"The Amazon interview simulation was intense!" one reviewer, and incidentally the only reviewer, wrote on Airbnb in June 2018.

The candidate, who called himself Seth, explained in the review that he was preparing for an interview as an open technical program manager at Amazon Web Services.

Read more: Amazon thought one of its workers was joking when he quit saying he'd won $4.4 million on the lottery

"I interviewed with four current Amazon employees who Nick [the Airbnb host] had selected based on my experience and background," he said.

After the interview portion of the workshop was done, candidates were then invited to watch the interviewers discussing whether they should be hired.

"I learned a lot, seeing myself through alternate perspectives and feel this simulation helped prepare me to interview at Amazon," Seth wrote.

If the candidate is unsuccessful in the mock interview, they are then given feedback on how to improve and crucially, how to get hired when the real interview comes around.

The same Airbnb host also offers $800 eight-hour workshops on preparing for the interview. Groups of prospective candidates are asked to present their accomplishments to each other, the listing says.

Amazon is known for its tough interviews. CEO Jeff Bezos once said that he'd rather interview 50 people and not hire anyone than hire the wrong person, and this means asking tricky questions to find the best candidates.

SEE ALSO: Apple slips to 4th place in a list of the world's top smartphone makers after a record drop in iPhone sales

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NOW WATCH: 5 things wrong with Apple's lightning cable

• Real Madrid is about to offer Paris Saint German $133.7 million dollars plus Luka Modric for Brazil international Neymar, reports suggest.
• Madrid has already spent $331.7 million this summer but a successful move for Neymar would take its total expenditure to $441.2 million — a new world record.
• Prior to this summer, the 13-time European champion already held the record for most money spent in a single summer, splashing $283 million in 2009.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Real Madrid could be set to smash it's own record for the most money spent in a single summer, after reports suggest it is about to offer Neymar an escape route out of Paris Saint Germain.

Neymar has courted controversy multiple times this year. He lashed out at a fan after a French Cup match in April, reported into pre-season training one week late last month, and appears to be on the transfer market with a price tag of $200 million— something no club, as yet, has been willing to pay.

However, SPORT, a daily newspaper in Spain, report Madrid will offer PSG $133.7 million dollars plus the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, in an attempt to bring the unsettled Brazilian to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

And should Madrid be successful in it's endeavour to land the 27-year-old, it would eclipse its own record for the most money spent by a single club in a summer transfer market.

Read more: The 11 highest-spending soccer clubs in Europe right now have already splashed out $2 billion this summer

The 33-time La Liga champion has already spent $331.7 million to recruit five new players, including Belgian forward Eden Hazard who joined from Chelsea in a $109.5 million deal. Adding Neymar to it's roster for $133.7 million would take Madrid's expenditure for the summer to a massive $441.2 million — a new club and world record.

Prior to the summer, Madrid was already the biggest summer spender in soccer history, having spent $283 million in 2009 when it signed Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema amongst others.

Juventus closely followed, spending $281.2 million in the summer of 2018 when Ronaldo was once again a significant part in an aggressive recruitment drive.

Neymar wants to leave PSG

Neymar apparently told PSG he wanted to leave earlier this summer. PSG chief Leonardo also said the 27-year-old was free to leave the club should the right offer come in.

PSG is holding out for $200 million as it looks to recoup most of the $275 million spent on him in 2017, however Madrid is hoping it can test the French champion's resolve with it's latest bid.

Spanish and French soccer clubs have until September 2 to do business, which is when the transfer window shuts until the middle of the season.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Brazil spent an estimated $300 million on a World Cup stadium that now sits nearly abandoned

• Cats sometimes do things that don't quite make sense to humans.
• Some cat behaviors seem to have confusing meanings. For example, if a cat nudges your leg, they probably don't want you to pet them. Instead, they're likely marking you with their scent glands.  
• When your cat chatters at birds, they could be trying to mimic a bird call and when they knead their paws, they may be trying to mark something as belonging to them.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Whether they're acting on instinct or trying to achieve a goal, cats sometimes behave in mysterious ways that can be tough for humans to understand. 

INSIDER spoke with Richard Gowan, senior veterinarian at The Cat Clinicand Nikki Johnson, animal behaviorist at RSPCA Victoria to better understand the weird things your cat does and why exactly they do them.

Here are the explanations behind some seemingly strange cat behaviors.

When a cat chatters, they could be trying to mimic the chirping sounds that birds make.

When a cat is looking out the window and spots a nearby bird, you might hear them begin to chatter, making noises that sound quite similar to a bird's chirp. 

"Lots of people think chattering is an expression of frustration that the cat can't reach the bird," explained Johnson. "But recent studies of wild cats in the Amazon rainforest shows that [may not] be the case."

Johnson said that researchers found that wild cats sometimes mimic the noise of monkeys, their prey, while in the rainforest. So a popular theory is that when domestic cats chatter they're actually trying to imitate birds so the winged creatures will come closer.

But a cat's chattering could also just mean they are just very excited about seeing birds, per Cat Health. 

Read More: 7 sounds your cat makes and what they mean

When cats knead or "make biscuits" with their paws, it's not exactly a sign of affection.

When a cat kneads their paws, they are moving their paws up and down and it appears as though they are handling imaginary dough or "making biscuits." 

"Domestic and wild cats knead," said Gowan. "This action could be a marking instinct as the cat releases hormones through their feet. [They] might do it on your bed to mark it as theirs."

Although kneading might primarily be an instinctual marking behavior, it could also be something cats find comfort in doing. 

"When cats are young they will knead their mothers to stimulate milk production," Johnson told INSIDER. "We think adult cats knead because it's connected with the soothing and comfortable practice from when they were kittens. It's the same reason some cats drool. They are both little behaviors left over from kittenhood."

Read More: 14 myths about cats that you need to stop believing

Even though it doesn't look comfortable, your cat probably feels pretty secure in tiny containers and small boxes.

"You will see tigers exhibit the same behavior in zoos when given access to boxes," Johnson told INSIDER. "We think it's linked with a feeling of safety and security. If you have your back against the wall you can see everywhere."

When your cat brings you something they've hunted, they're just following their instincts.

Cats are natural-born hunters, so if they catch something such as a lizard, bird, or mouse, they will typically bring it back to their place of safety. In most cases, that happens to be your home.

And when a cat brings you something it's hunted, it's not exactly a present — it's dinner. In many cases, they bring you something that they feel you probably couldn't have caught yourself, per Live Science.

If a cat nudges or headbutts your leg, it's probably not asking for pets.

If a cat saunters toward you and butts their head against your leg, you may think they want you to pet them. This isn't always the case. 

"We, as humans, perceive headbutting as a sign of affection but the cat may not tolerate you bending down to pat it," Gowan told INSIDER. He said when a cat headbutts your leg, they may just be marking you with their scent glands.

"Cats have limited scent glands around their body," explained Gowan. "They have these glands around their feet, face, and bum. So generally, when cats do things like kneading, scratching, or headbutting, they're actually marking you with their glands."

When your cat refuses to use their litter box, they may be trying to tell you that it's not up to their standards.

Per Web MD, your cat might avoid the litter box if it's not clean enough for them, there's too much or not enough kitty litter in the box, or if they don't like the type of box or the location it is in.

"From a human perspective, you think, 'Bad cat, you peed on the floor!' But the cat might be thinking, 'No, your litter-box management isn't up to my standards,'" added Gowan. 

Keep in mind that if your cat isn't urinating or defecating at all, they may actually have a medical issue, so you may want to see a vet if this seems to be the case. 

• Sara Vaezy, the 36-year-old chief digital strategy officer for West Coast health system Providence St. Joseph Health, is in charge of mapping out the digital future of the hospital.
• Vaezy is one of Business Insider's 30 leaders under 40 transforming the future of healthcare. 
• We asked her to share her best advice for others getting started in the industry and looking to make a difference. Here's what she told us.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Sara Vaezy came to Providence St. Joseph Health by accident.

Vaezy started her career as a physics major in undergrad, going on to work as a research scientist for a medical device company. After considering medical school, Vaezy instead decided to pursue a master's degree in public health as well as a master's in healthcare administration.

Rather than be involved directly in caring for patients, she was interested in setting up systems that would make it easier for other caregivers to do that themselves. Next, she worked as a hospital consultant. 

Read more: The hospital in Amazon's backyard has a plan to disrupt itself before being disrupted by big tech companies

It was through her work as a consultant that she ran into Providence, the West Coast-based health system that runs 51 hospitals and made $24 billion in revenue in 2018. She had asked her team to prepare a case study on the health system. But once she learned what the organization was doing with its digital strategy, she was hooked. 

'I caught the bug'

"I caught the bug," Vaezy said. 

Three and a half years in, Vaezy is chief digital strategy officer for Providence, working to figure out the strategy that will make care accessible and affordable. For instance, Providence is working on spinning out a same-day-care platform called ExpressCare aimed at helping patients book appointments, as well as formalizing an internal incubator.

For her work, Business Insider named Vaezy to its list of 30 healthcare leaders under 40 transforming the future of the industry. 

Never miss out on healthcare news. Subscribe to Dispensed, our weekly newsletter on pharma, biotech, and healthcare.

Vaezy's four crucial pieces of advice

Vaezy had four pieces of career advice for those looking to make a difference in the healthcare industry:

• Have resilience going into it. It's not going to be easy, and you're going to hit challenges as you work to transform healthcare. "There will be inertia working against you and them and me and all of us. It's important to remember that and not get discouraged," Vaezy said.  
• Try different things. Vaezy said she doesn't think about her career in 10 to 20 year timeframes. Instead, she asks herself how she could best spend her next three to five years. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting locked in. "The market is changing so much, the world is changing so much. 10 years ago we weren't anticipating that Amazon and Google and Apple would be in healthcare," Vaezy said. Letting one career course guide a decade could limit career possibilities.
• Keep an ultimate focus."Remembering, 'I'm here to help people, I'm here to serve.' it helps power through when things get tough and they get tough really often," Vaezy said.  
• "Get in there." There's nothing more important than experiences, and it's easier to do that once you get your hands dirty by working directly in the industry. "All of my experiences, nothing has been more valuable than actually being in a healthcare setting and seeing what it's like to get things done in healthcare," Vaezy said. 

Vaezy is one of Business Insider's 30 leaders under 40 transforming the future of healthcare. Read the full list here.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• I don't like dealing with complicated tech or specs.
• But I do really like these simple, affordable wireless headphones by RHA that cost $89.99 on Amazon.
• They sound just as good as my in-ear Bose SoundSports, and come with volume controls and a built-in microphone, too.
• One year update: I still use these headphones every day for my commute and workouts. They've held up extremely well, continue to pair seamlessly via Bluetooth, and the sound quality still impresses me every time I use them.

I am pretty bad with tech. It's not that I don't know how to use it, it's just that I'm impatient; I hate setting up new gadgets, and I feel intimidated by all the language used to describe them. You'll never get me exited by talking about LED zones or OLED displays or any kinds of bits or bytes because I honestly have no idea what any of that means. 

So when I find a tech product that's affordable, relatively uncomplicated, and easy to incorporate into everyday use, I feel the need to share it. Such is the case with this pair of $90 MA650 headphones from RHA. 

This is the first wireless pair I've owned, and they've been extremely kind to me so far. It wasn't until I started using them that I realized how much of a pain it was to be physically tethered to my computer all day. (However, if you do appreciate wired headphones, RHA recently came out with a $60 wired version of these with an Apple-compatible Lightning connector that can be pre-ordered now.)

The setup for the MA650 is super easy, only requiring you to charge the headphones, turn them on, and discover them via Bluetooth on whatever device you're using. Once paired, you shouldn't have an issue connecting them. A year later and I haven't experienced a single Bluetooth-related issue.

The battery lasts a full 12 hours of use, which is pretty solid for wireless headphones, and there's a built-in voice notification for when it's running low and needs to be charged. Each pair also comes with a set of eight earbud styles you can swap around depending on the size and shape you prefer, which is something my tiny ears appreciate very much. 

The flexible, sweat-proof rubber build is super comfortable, and the built-in remote and microphones work like a dream. The only annoyance is that it strains my eyes a bit to see the controls since they're pretty close to my face, but the more I use the headphones and get a feel for where all the buttons are, the less I need to look at it to make sure I'm pressing the right thing. 

RHA offers two versions of their wireless headphones: the MA650 ($90) and the MA750 ($167.31). I've been using the MA650, but the advantage to the MA750 is the added feature of digital assistant control (which I don't particularly need for an additional $65). Also, I'm sure there's some sort of sound quality difference, but I haven't tested the MA750s so I can't speak knowledgeably about it. 

The pair I usually use is the Bose in-ear SoundSports, which costs $99 and has excellent quality audio. The wireless MA650 is at a similar level, but the noise-isolating capacity gives it a leg up. Sometimes I have no idea that one of my coworkers is trying to talk to me until they frantically wave their hands around to get my attention — which, depending on how much you like your coworkers, could be both a pro and a con (for the record, I love my coworkers, and I try to keep the volume pretty low now so I'm never completely sealed in my own world). 

All in all, I'm just here to tell you that I really like these headphones. They're affordable, high-quality, wireless, and extremely comfortable. The sound competes with my Bose pair, and though not completely mind-blowing, it's pretty solid for small in-ear buds. If you're not super tech-savvy, or even if you're just looking for a good pair of wireless headphones, these are my personal recommendation. 

RHA MA650 Wireless Headphones, available on Amazon, $89.99

SEE ALSO: I no longer have to worry about my Wi-Fi speeds now that I have this blazing-fast $155 router

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• David Benioff and Dan Weiss were the two showrunners behind "Game of Thrones."
• The creative duo are leaving HBO for Netflix.
• Netflix reportedly beat out Disney, HBO, and Amazon to an exclusive deal with Benioff and Weiss. 
• The price for that exclusivity is said to be in the $200 million range.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The creative duo behind the biggest show in the last 20 years, "Game of Thrones," are moving to Netflix.

David Benioff and Dan Weiss are leaving HBO for Netflix in a deal reportedly worth $200 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Netflix is said to have beaten out HBO, Amazon, Apple, and Disney to the deal, which Deadline described as, "an overall global deal to write, produce and direct new series and films."

Following the conclusion of "Game of Thrones" earlier this year, the writing duo signed a deal with Disney to create a new series of "Star Wars" films. The first of those new films is expected in December 2022.

"We are thrilled to welcome master storytellers David Benioff and Dan Weiss to Netflix," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in the announcement release. "They are a creative force and have delighted audiences worldwide with their epic storytelling. We can't wait to see what their imaginations will bring to our members."

Notoriously, following the controversial last season of "Game of Thrones," angry fans of the show created a campaign aimed at "Google bombing" the showrunners: When you search Google Images for the phrase "bad writers," the "Game of Thrones" showrunners are the first thing to show up.

That campaign clearly didn't impact Benioff and Weiss' ability to stay gainfully employed.

SEE ALSO: Angry 'Game of Thrones' fans 'Google-bombed' the show's creators so that their photo now shows up when you search for 'bad writers'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos is worth over $160 billion — here's how the world's richest man makes and spends his money

• On a recent trip to Russia, I spent 50 hours riding the Trans-Siberian Railway across more than 2,000 miles and four time zones in Russia.
• It was the experience of a lifetime, but there are a few things I wish I'd known before my journey.
• I wish I would've chosen my route more carefully, made some stopovers, and brought a better variety of snacks and entertainment. 
• The smartest thing I did before my trip was downloading the offline translation for Russian on the Google Translate app. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

At 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometers), the Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, connecting Moscow to Vladivostok in far Eastern Russia.

On a recent trip to Russia, I spent 50 hours riding the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway across more than 2,000 miles and four time zones in Russia.

Read more:I rode the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway on a 2,000-mile journey across four time zones in Russia. Here's what it was like spending 50 hours on the longest train line in the world.

I got on the train in Novosibirsk, the third-largest city in Siberia, and rode it all the way to Moscow. I had to deal with not showering or changing clothes for more than two days, entertaining myself without cell service or Wi-Fi, a cramped bathroom, mediocre food, and a snoring compartment mate.

But it was the experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. There are, however, a few things I wish I'd known before embarking on my journey.

Here are my top six tips for riding the Trans-Siberian Railway.

1. Do some research on which route will be most interesting to you.

I wish I had done more research on the stretch of railway I'd be traveling.

I only knew that I didn't have time to ride the entire thing, and as I was already in Siberia, leaving from Novosibirsk back to Moscow made the most sense from a logistical perspective.

Next time, I would try to choose a route with more varied scenery. While the views were beautiful, the flat landscapes of green fields and forests got a little monotonous after a while.

I longed to see some mountains or more varied landscape, and apparently, I missed my one chance to do so. One afternoon, our train passed through the Ural Mountains. One of my Australian compartment mates told me the scenery was stunning and reminded her of Switzerland.

Unfortunately, at that time, I was napping. 

So if you're not riding the entire line, I'd recommend doing a little research on the different stretches of railway and how they correspond to what you'd like to see.

2. Make some stops along the way.

Fifty hours on a train is a long time. But it wasn't until I was about 15 minutes into my train journey and already bored of my snacks and reading material that I realized just how long it really is.

And a week — which is about how long it takes to ride the whole thing nonstop— would really be a long time to spend on a train.

If you're riding for a significant length of time, I'd suggest breaking up your journey with some short stays in cities or towns along the way. 

Lake Baikal, off the Irkutsk stop, is a popular destination, and I heard Yekaterinburg (which I passed through) is a beautiful city. The Culture Trip compiled a list of the 10 most beautiful stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Hopping off the train for a night or two here and there would add some variety to your trip, and you'd get to experience more of Russia than you would from the train window.

3. Travel with a friend.

I cannot stress enough that the hours you spend on the Trans-Siberian can sometimes go by very slowly.

I was traveling for work so this wasn't an option for me, but I'd recommend riding the Trans-Siberian with a friend rather than alone.

While I often enjoy traveling alone, I kept thinking about how nice if it would be if I had a friend to talk to, eat with, perhaps play card games with, and someone to watch my things if I felt like leaving the compartment for an extended period of time. Fortunately, I felt like all of my compartment mates were pretty trustworthy.

Even better, if you had four friends, you could book an entire compartment to have to yourselves. The only downside of this would be that you'd have to make more of an effort to talk to locals traveling on the train, if you're into that.

4. Bring books and other entertainment, because there will be no Wi-Fi and very little cell service.

There's no Wi-Fi on Trans-Siberian trains, and I found that I only had cell service when the train made a stop, which was sometimes only for two or three minutes at a time.

There are, however, power outlets on the train, so you have the option of watching movies or TV shows that you've previously downloaded. 

I kept myself entertained with a good old-fashioned book, but I did sometimes wish I had some other options.

5. Don't worry about packing all the drinking water you'll need.

I didn't discover until the last few hours of my trip that there was drinkable water on board. Instead, I spent 40-something hours rationing the three liters of bottled water I'd brought, worried that I'd run out.

It turned out that in addition to the samovar (hot water kettle) that I used to make cup after cup of tea, my train car had a faucet near the attendant's cabin that provided drinking water so I could fill up my water bottles.

However, I've read some reports that not all trains have this faucet for drinking water, and that the water may run out. Either way, there is also bottled water available to purchase from the attendant, as well as from train station vendors at stops along the way.

6. Choose your snacks wisely. 

I found the food served on the train to be mediocre, so I was glad I'd packed my own snacks for the journey. I brought tea, dried noodles, granola bars, chocolate, and some fruit-and-vegetable baby food.

But I got sick of these things far more quickly than I'd expected — as in, probably within the first few hours.

An Australian couple I shared my compartment with for the later part of my journey brought fresh fruit as well as meat, cheese, and bread to make sandwiches. My granola bars and dried noodles seemed pretty boring in comparison, and I was quickly craving "real food."

While snack choice is very personal, I'd recommend bringing a variety of options that won't spoil quickly.

SEE ALSO: Photos show what life is like in a Siberian diamond mining town on the edge of the Arctic Circle, which is home to 40,000 people and where the sun is up for 20 hours a day in the summer

DON'T MISS: I toured a gated estate outside of Moscow that was built by the 'Trump of Russia.' From its golf course to the mansions I was forbidden to photograph, it wasn't hard to see its appeal for the country's billionaires.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Slack and Flickr, says 2 beliefs have brought him the greatest success in life

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• Bed Bath & Beyond stores are packed with essentials for the home. 
• The retailer is also known for having a generous return policy and lots of coupons.
• But that doesn't mean everything there is a good deal. Here's what you should buy and what you should skip there, according to shopping experts.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Bed Bath & Beyond has one of the most generous return policies out there — you don't even need a receipt if the item is unused — and 20% off coupons have virtually become synonymous with the retailer. 

You likely already have a stack of Bed Bath & Beyond coupons since they come in the mail so often, but if you don't, check online and print one out before you head to the store. While you might find better deals at other stores, Bed Bath & Beyond price matches items from other retailers as long as it isn't sold by a marketplace.

That doesn't mean that everything sold at the chain is a worthy buy. Whether because of price, selection, or quality, there are a number of items that should be skipped over. 

We turned to the experts to help us separate the good from the bad when it comes to shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond.

SEE ALSO: 29 products to buy at Trader Joe's — and 12 you should avoid at all costs

DON'T MISS: 14 things you should always buy at Home Depot — and 13 things to avoid at all costs

Buy: Crock-Pot Choose-a-Crock

If you are a slow-cooker fan, you've probably encountered a time when you wished your Crock-Pot were a different size. 

"Bed Bath & Beyond carries the Choose-a Crock, which features 6-quart, 4-quart, and Split 2.5-quart capacity pots all in one unit," shopping expert Trae Bodge told Business Insider. "This item is 'exclusive' to Bed Bath & Beyond and priced at $99, but I did find it on Amazon for $120."

Don’t buy: Ring video doorbells

"Ring video doorbells have become wildly popular and while they are comparably priced on Amazon at the time of this writing, Amazon has been known — especially during Amazon Prime Day — to deeply discount the Ring and offer bundles with Amazon proprietary devices, like the Echo Dot," Bodge said.

Buy: SALT 2-piece Double Boiler

Double boilers are handy for melting chocolate and sauces. "This version is an exclusive to Bed Bath & Beyond and is versatile enough to be used on induction stovetops as well as standard," Bodge said. "It'spriced at $30, where similar options from other brands are in the $35 and aboveprice range."

Don’t buy: iRobot Roomba

Buying a robotic vacuum can be life changing, but if you're looking at Roombas, you'll find better pricing elsewhere, according to Bodge.

"The Roomba 890 is a full $100 less expensive at Amazon. Plus, most Roomba models are exempt from the Bed Bath & Beyond 20% coupon," she said.

Buy: Moving Starter Kits

There are no two ways about it: moving is a pain.

"To make the job a bit easier, Bed Bath & Beyond has pre-packed Starter Kits, including theDuck Bubble Wrap Moving Kit($53), which contains a variety of moving boxes, tape, and bubble wrap," Bodge said.

Don’t buy: Instant Pot

If you want to jump on the Instant Pot trend, buy yours elsewhere.

"Not only is the 6-quart Instant Pot 9-in-1 Duo Plus $10 more expensive at Bed Bath & Beyondthan atWilliams Sonoma and Amazon, it's also exempt from the 20% coupon," Bodge said.

Buy: Le Creuset

Le Creuset cookware could last a lifetime, but it can be expensive.

"It's exempt from the Bed Bath & Beyond 20% coupon, but at the time of this writing, there was a large selection ofLe Creuset on clearance, with a beautiful Tagine at over $100 off," Bodge said. "Le Creuset Clearance came up immediately in my search on Bedbathandbeyond.com, which leads me to believe that clearance pricing is fairly common."

Don’t buy: Rachael Ray Enamel Cookware Set

"The popular 12-piece enamel cookware sets from Rachael Ray are available in several beautiful colors and are priced at $150 at Bed Bath & Beyond and Macy's. However, they are available at Walmart for as low as $80," Bodge said.

Buy: college essentials

Shopping for everything you'll need for college can be tricky. 

"Does your dorm allow you to ship items ahead of your arrival or do you have to buy everything and bring it with you? Bed Bath & Beyond has a handy Pack & Hold service, which allows you to order everything you need online or at your local store and it can be held at a Bed Bath & Beyond store near campus," Bodge said.

Don’t buy: baby products

"Since Bed Bath & Beyond's pricing and selections of baby products are comparatively less attractive than their sister company Buy Buy Baby, you should consider buying baby products directly from Buy Buy Baby,"Tiara Jing, retail and marketing expert at Dealmoon.com, told Business Insider. "It has registries, a wider range of options, and special discounts just for parents that trump what Bed Bath & Beyond offers in this category."

Buy: Bee & Willow home collection

"The Bee & Willow home collection offers shoppers a mix of rustic and modern home decor,"Sara Skirboll, shopping and trends expert at RetailMeNot, told Business Insider. "The brand has everything from bedding and bath to furniture and rugs, and you can find it all exclusively at Bed Bath & Beyond. The pieces are designed with character and charm and made to last."

Don’t buy: beauty products

Bed Bath & Beyond's brick-and-mortar stores usually have a beauty essentials section, but you can save on these products elsewhere.

"The cost of Bed Bath & Beyond's beauty essentials add up quickly so it may not be worth it," Jing said.

They also don't have an extensive selection of higher-end products. Shoppers are likely better off looking at retailers like Sephora and signing up for the beauty store's rewards program.

Buy: UGG Home

"Bed Bath & Beyond is one of the few retailers that carries UGG Home products and they offer amazing prices on everything from blankets and pillows to bath essentials. Right now you can score a twin-size comforter set for $39.99," Skirboll said.

Don’t buy: food and snacks

You can get a lot more for your buck by shopping at your local grocery stores for things like food and snacks, according to Jing.

"Stick to your regulars for daily food essential to make sure you are getting the best value and making the most of loyalty rewards," she said.

Buy: Dripless Ice Stick Trays

If you've ever struggled to fit an ice cube into a smaller water bottle opening, this product is a lifesaver. "Make your ice in stick form so you can easily drop it in with Dripless Ice Stick Trays," Skirboll said. "Plus, Bed Bath & Beyond has an amazing price on these: $4.99 for a set of two."

Don’t buy: brands excluded from the 20% off coupon

Make sure to check out which brands are excluded from the 20% off coupon before you shop. 

"Some popular brands are not included and in that case it's recommended to check out their direct site to find the best and exclusive offers," Jing said.

Buy: Olivia & Oliver

"Olivia & Oliver is a Bed Bath & Beyond exclusive brand that offers gorgeous dinnerware, stemware, home decor, and more," Skirboll said. "It's perfect for a wedding registry because these items offer a high-end look at affordable prices."

Don’t buy: art and decor

If you're looking for unique and high-end decor pieces to amplify your space, Bed Bath & Beyond shouldn't be your primary destination.

"Overall Bed, Bath and Beyond is much better for essential items and art just isn't their specialty, meaning their choices are limited for decor," Jing said.

Buy: coffee and tea pods

"The retailer not only offers exclusive and unique flavors and collaborations, but they also have  special discounted bundles on all Keurig items,"Erin Sykes, a retail and sales strategy expert, told Business Insider.

"Examples include the exclusive Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup Half-Caff Hazelnut and Perfect Pod Eco-Fill 2.0 reusable single serve pod."

Don’t buy: curtains

According to Sykes, Bed Bath & Beyond's curtain and rod selection is not only mediocre when it comes to pricing, but also when it comes to selection, as they have just a few pattern and color options.

Buy: Wamsutta towels

"Wamsutta towels are affordable, soft, and come in a variety of colors," Skirboll said. "You can find any set you need and all at a great price. Plus, they can only be found at Bed Bath & Beyond."

Don’t buy: Jewelry storage

For jewelry storage Sykes suggests looking at QVC, which, she said, offers the smartest and most creative options.

Buy: bath/kitchen

Bath and kitchen selections like shower curtains and knives tend to be better quality than those at many other stores, and they're available at a competitive price point, according to Jing.

"You can almost guarantee that you'll be investing in bath and kitchenware that will last a long time. The retailer is on par with more luxury home products at a middle-market price," she said.

Don’t buy: Snacks near the register

"The jumbo candy boxes near the cash registers are preying on weary shoppers who want a quick sugar fix," Sykes said. They're almost never cheaper than at competitors and are rarely special or unique buys.

Buy: bedding

"Bed Bath & Beyond doesn't skip on quality with their bedding sets," Jing said. "They aren't necessarily inexpensive, but you're getting great quality and taste for your money. They also offer exclusive designer bedding collections."

Don’t buy: candles

"It's so tempting to pick up a few candles while cruising the aisles at Bed Bath & Beyond, but they tend to smell better en masse than on an individual level due to lower quality and tendency to burn with a lot of residue," Sykes said.

Buy: coffee machine

"Bed Bath & Beyond offers high-end Breville coffee machines that are worth every penny," Jing said.

"You can try them out in-store before buying, which is a definite plus for coffee enthusiasts. Sometimes they are on sale, too. Other kitchen appliances from popular brands like Cuisinart and Nespresso offer free add-ons like mixing tools and coffee pods with your purchase."

Don’t buy: lighting

"Lighting is a very important part of a living space, so it is important to source from a company that has a specialized lighting department,"Lisa Jacobs, professional organizer and founder of Imagine It Done, told Business Insider.

Buy: non-traditional cleaning and kitchen tools

"From an OXO Good Grips tool to remove pomegranate seeds to Full Crystal Exterior Cleaning Tools for aluminum, brick and glass, explore Bed Bath & Beyond's aisles to discover unique cleaning and kitchen tools that you didn't know you needed," Sykes said.

Don’t buy: luggage

"I find luggage to be an investment, especially if you travel a lot. If you're going to buy new luggage I suggest getting one that is worth your money and that will last you a long time," Jacobs said. "Take the time you need to find out what kind of luggage you need and what brand would be best for you. Going to a department store where the salespeople are trained in knowing the difference in products is your best bet."

Buy: SodaStream

"Bed, Bath and Beyond sells starter kits and refills plus acts as a cartridge recycling center, so you can turn in your empty CO2 cartridges and get discounts on new ones, simplifying the process," Sykes said.

Don’t buy: personalized gifts

"If you're going to go through the effort of personalizing a gift, go to shops that specialize in personalization — not only in engraving, but specifically the kind of gift that you want to have personalized," Jacobs said.

Buy: tea kettles

"With a wide selection of over 350 options, well beyond any other brick-and-mortar retailer, Bed Bath & Beyond is the best place to find colorful or traditional teapots and kettles," Sykes said. "Check out whimsical options from brands like Kate Spade."

Don’t buy: wall coverings

"If you're going to do a wall covering, it is most likely going to be one of the focal points of your house or apartment," Jacobs said. "Investing in a good one that will make your space look the best it can be is important. Going to a design center that specializes in wall coverings is the best place to go for these types of purchases."

Buy: Artisanal Kitchen Supply Marble and Wood Serveware Collection

"For those who like to entertain, the Artisanal Kitchen Supply Marble and Wood Serveware Collection nails the latest trends while still maintaining functionality," Skirboll said. "Similar items can cost up to double at other home retailers, so keep an eye on this set if you're looking for new serveware."

Don’t buy: shower totes

While the shower totes at Bed Bath & Beyond might be great for camp because they're inexpensive and disposable, that's about where their usefulness ends.

"For better design and quality shower totes that will actually last, source from companies that produce higher end home accessories," Jacobs said.

Buy: personal care items

"Walking into Bed Bath & Beyond is like walking into the largest CVS, but it also has everything else you need for the home, making it the perfect one-stop shop for personal care items," Jacobs said. Pick up everything from tampons to Blistex, often at lower prices than your local drugstore.

Don’t buy: furniture

"While Bed Bath & Beyond does sell some functional furniture, it's never one of my top choices to shop for myself or clients," Jacobs said. "There are many other furniture stores that I would suggest that specialize in home furnishings, which would be the best bet." 

A fantastic alternative is West Elm, which offers a great price-quality ratio and discounts items throughout the year.

Buy: Mover Safe and Sound Kit

"One-stop shops like Bed Bath & Beyond are a go-to when people are making a change in their life whether it be going to college, scaling down, or scaling up," Jacobs said. "The Mover Safe and Sound Kit comes with everything you need in case there is an emergency, like a first-aid kit, a Ring video doorbell in case your apartment does not come with a peep hole, and a flashlight."

Don’t buy: maternity items

Most maternity items — like the Motherhood Maternity belly band  — are excluded from the retailer's coupon, and you'll find better prices at competing stores.

• A person's body language can reveal a lot about what they're thinking and feeling.
• That's especially true if their nonverbal displays don't match what they're saying out loud.
• For example, a pointed finger with a closed hand can be an attempt at showing dominance, while someone who repeatedly touches their face is probably nervous.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
  

Reading other people's body language is tricky business.

If someone is crossing her arms, for example, you could assume that she's closed off, when in fact she's just cold. 

Read more:13 simple ways to get better at small talk

That said, when you notice that a person's nonverbal displays don't quite match up with what she's telling you out loud, it's worth paying extra attention. Or when someone laughs with one too many wrinkles around their eyes, it's likely a sign your joke probably wasn't all that funny to her.

Below, we've rounded up 19 scientific insights into the significance of body language, pulled from Psychology Today, research journals, and a few awesome books.

Read on to find out why you should be cautious if someone's making too much eye contact or has their legs crossed.

SEE ALSO: 8 body language tricks to instantly appear more confident

DON'T MISS: 21 common body language mistakes even smart people make

The shoulder shrug is a universal signal of not knowing what's going on.

According to Barbara Pease and Allan Pease, authors of "The Definitive Book of Body Language," everybody does the shoulder shrug. 

The shrug is a "good example of a universal gesture that is used to show that a person doesn't know or doesn't understand what you are saying," they write.

"It's a multiple gesture that has three main parts," they continue. "Exposed palms to show nothing is being concealed in the hands, hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack, and raised brow, which is a universal, submissive greeting." 

Open palms are an ancient display of honesty.

When someone swears to tell the truth in a court of law, they put one hand on a religious text and raise their other hand into the air, palm facing whoever they're speaking to.

That's because, the Peases write in "The Definitive Book of Body Language," an open palm has been associated with "truth, honesty, allegiance, and submission" throughout Western history. 

"Just as a dog will expose its throat to show submission or surrender to the victor," they write, "humans use their palms to show that they are unarmed and therefore not a threat."

A lack of crinkles around the eyes suggests a potentially fake smile.

The jury is still out on whether we can tell when someone is faking what scientists call a Duchenne smile. It's the expression we make when we're genuinely experiencing positive emotion.

At one point, researchers believed that making a genuine smile was nearly impossible to do on command. The smile, they said, was all about the crow's-feet around your eyes. When you're smiling joyfully, they crinkle. When you're faking it, they don't. 

If someone's trying to look happy but really isn't, you won't see the wrinkles.

More recently, a study from Northeastern University researchers found that people could do a pretty good job of faking a Duchenne smile, even when they weren't feeling especially happy.

It seems safe to say that if the crinkles aren't there, the person's probably not genuinely happy. But just because the crinkles are there doesn't necessarily mean they're elated.

Raised eyebrows are often a sign of discomfort.

In the same way that real smiles shape the wrinkles around your eyes, University of Massachusetts professor Susan Krauss Whitbourne writes on Psychology Today that worry, surprise, or fear can cause people to raise their eyebrows in discomfort.

So if someone compliments your new hairstyle or outfit with their eyebrows raised, it may not be sincere.

A pointed finger with a closed hand is an attempt at displaying dominance.

If someone is closing their palm and pointing with their index finger, then they're trying to display dominance — though it doesn't always work out. 

"The Palm-Closed-Finger-Pointed is a fist where the pointed finger is used like a symbolic club with which the speaker figuratively beats his listeners into submission,"the Peases write. "Subconsciously, it evokes negative feelings in others because it precedes a right overarm blow, a primal move most primates use in a physical attack."

If they mirror your body language, the conversation is probably going well.

When two people are getting along, their postures and movements mirror each other's. When your best friend crosses her legs, you will, too. If you're on a date that's going well, you'll both be making the same goofy hand gestures. 

This is because we mirror each other when we're feeling a connection, says positive psychologist Barbara Fredrickson.

But if they look into your eyes for too long, they might be lying.

In an attempt to avoid looking shifty-eyed, some liars will purposefully hold their gaze a touch too long, so that it's slightly uncomfortable, according to behavioral analyst and body language expert Lillian Glass. 

They may also stand very still and not blink.

Eye contact shows interest — both positive and negative.

When you look someone in the eyes, it sets an arousal state in the body. 

"How that arousal is interpreted, however, depends on the parties involved and the circumstances," writes Claremont McKenna College organizational psychologist Ronald E. Riggio.

"Being stared at by a stranger who appears large or ominous can be seen as a threat and elicit a fear response," he continues. "However, the gaze of a potential sexual partner causes arousal that can be interpreted positively — as a sexual invitation."

An expansive pose signals power and a sense of achievement.

How people hold themselves is a big clue to how they're feeling.

If someone's leaning back and relaxed, they probably feel powerful and in control. In fact, research has found that even people born blind raise their arms in a V-shape when they win a physical competition.

A 'cluster' of gestures shows a real feeling of connection.

Attraction isn't communicated through one signal but a sequence.

Neuropsychologist Marsha Lucas suggests one to watch for: "After making eye contact, she looks down a bit, gathers or otherwise preens her hair, and then looks up at you while her chin is tipped."

Crossed legs are usually a sign of resistance and low receptivity, and are a bad sign in a negotiation.

Out of 2,000 negotiations videotaped by Gerard I. Nierenberg and Henry H. Calero, the authors of "How to Read a Person Like a Book," there wasn't a single settlement when one of the negotiators had their legs crossed. 

"Psychologically, crossed legs signal that a person is mentally, emotionally, and physically closed off," writes psychologist Travis Bradberry — which may mean they're less likely to budge in a negotiation.

A clenched jaw, tightened neck, or furrowed brow shows stress.

All these are "limbic responses" associated with the limbic system in the brain.

"Emotion, spotting and reacting to threats, as well as assuring our survival, are all heavy responsibilities of the limbic system," writes former FBI counterintelligence agent Joe Navarro.

"The bus leaves without us, and we are clenching our jaws, rubbing our necks," he explains. "We are asked to work another weekend, and the orbits of our eyes narrow as our chin lowers."

Humans have been displaying discomfort this way for millions of years, Navarro says.

If they repeatedly touch their face or their hands, they're probably nervous.

Navarro told Business Insider that we've evolved to display nervousness without using any words.

Some of the most common manifestations of our anxiety? Touching your face and rubbing the skin on your hands. Both can be soothing behaviors when you're feeling uncomfortable.

"It's hilarious how often we touch ourselves under stress," Navarro said.

If they're laughing with you, they're probably into you.

If someone is receptive to your humor, they're likely interested in you.

Evolutionary psychologists say that humor — and positive reception to humor — play a pivotal role in human development. They serve as a way of signaling a desire for a relationship, be it platonic or romantic.

Expansive, authoritative postures show leadership.

Whether they're innate or learned, there are a number of signals and behaviors people use when they feel that they're a leader, or at least are trying to convince you that they are.

They include holding an erect posture, walking purposefully, steepling and palm-down hand gestures, and generally open and expansive body postures. 

A shaking leg signals a shaky inner state.

"Your legs are the largest area of your body," University of Massachusetts professor Susan Whitbourne says, "so when they move, it's pretty hard for others not to notice." 

A shaky leg signals anxiety, irritation, or both, she says. 

A slight smile along with direct eye contact might be an attempt at seduction.

Riggio's research suggests that there's a specific type of smile people display when they're trying to act seductive.

He writes in Psychology Today:

"[T]hey typically display positive affect — a slight smile that accompanies direct eye contact, with a slow glance away, but still holding the smile.

"Interestingly, the seductive smile could be accompanied by submissive behavior (tilting the head downward), or dominant behavior — proudly and slowly glancing away."

If the inner corners of their eyebrows don't move up and in, they're probably not as sad as they seem.

Psychologist Paul Ekman uses the term "reliable muscles" for the muscles in the face that you can't contract voluntarily.

In his book "The Tell," psychologist Matthew Hertstein explains how to apply Ekman's research: "If you observe a person expressing sadness both verbally and facially, but the inner corners of his eyebrows are not going up and in, he may not be experiencing sadness at all. He's unable to contract these muscles voluntarily despite his best efforts."

If one side of their face is more active than the other side, they might be faking the emotion.

Hertstein writes: "The vast majority of facial displays of emotion are bilateral — that is, they show up on both sides of the face equally. ... Next time you tell a joke, look to see if her smile is symmetrical when she laughs."

This is an update of an article originally posted by Drake Baer and Max Nisen.

• Three years ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the electric-car maker and energy company's solar roof-tiles would set the company's energy products apart from those of its competitors
• But current and former reservation-holders for the roof tiles, known as the Solar Roof, say they've been kept in the dark about when they will get them.
• The Solar Roof's rollout has been delayed by aesthetic issues and durability testing.
• Musk said Tesla is installing the Solar Roof in eight states, but the company has not disclosed the number of Solar Roofs that have been delivered.
• Tesla's solar-panel business has plummeted since its controversial acquisition of the solar-panel manufacturer and installer SolarCity in 2016.
• A Tesla representative told Business Insider that the company regularly reveals products long before they become available and highlighted the Model 3 sedan, which was unveiled in March 2016, 16 months before it was first delivered to customers.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Derek Hanson, who lives in Lavon, Texas, paid $1,000 to reserve Tesla's solar roof-tiles, known as the Solar Roof, in September 2017. He wasn't given an installation timeline, but was told his odds of receiving a Solar Roof would have been better if he lived in California.

He canceled his reservation after seven months.

"This is never going to happen," he recalled thinking at the time.

Before canceling, Hanson found Tesla's customer-service department difficult to reach, and when he did get in touch, he couldn't tell if the representatives he talked to were familiar with the details of his reservation or were giving him the same answer they gave everyone who asked when they would receive their Solar Roof: We don't know. Hanson got the feeling that the Solar Roof wasn't ready for production.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in 2016 that the electric-car maker and its green-energy subsidiary SolarCity were preparing to bring solar roof tiles to market that would set his companies apart from rivals. 

Three years later, five current and former reservation-holders who signed up for the Solar Roof told Business Insider they've been kept in the dark about when the product will be delivered.

Read more:Tesla is reportedly making big changes to its energy unit as it tries to ramp up falling solar sales

SaiMan Wong, who lives in Coral Springs, Florida, and made his Solar Roof deposit in August 2017, is close to canceling his reservation.

His roof is 42 years old and needs to be replaced soon. In the two years since he made his Solar Roof reservation, he's emailed Tesla twice to ask about his installation timeline. Both times, the company said it didn't know when his Solar Roof will be ready.

"I believe, especially if you're on a waiting list and put $1,000 in, they owe it to people to tell them when it's rolling out," Wong said.

Wong recently hired a local contractor to replace his roof and install conventional solar panels, though he's been told by the contractor that he'll have to wait around five months due to a shortage of the Spanish tiles Coral Springs requires. Unless Tesla reaches out to him soon, he'll have to cancel his Solar Roof reservation.

"I like the company, and I wish I could have had a Tesla roof," he said. "I think I would have been the ideal candidate, but the conditions aren't working out right now."

The Solar Roof installation process has been delayed

Teslaunveiled the Solar Roof, an integrated collection of tiles designed to hide solar cells inside of them, in October 2016, and customers have been able to reserve it sinceMay 2017. But the Solar Roof's rollout has reportedly been delayed byaesthetic issues and durability testing.

"This is actually quite a hard technology problem — to have an integrated solar panel, or solar cell, with a roof tile, and have it look good and last for 30 years," Musk said in June.

A Tesla representative told Business Insider that the company regularly reveals products long before they become available and highlighted the Model 3 sedan, which wasunveiled in March 2016, 16 months before it wasfirst delivered to customers.

Read more:Tesla is reportedly making big changes to its energy unit as it tries to ramp up falling solar sales

Two months before the Solar Roof's flashy introduction at Universal Studios just outside Los Angeles, Musk cited the product as a reason to support Tesla's acquisition of the solar-panel manufacturer and installer SolarCity, a deal that hasdrawn criticism as Tesla's solar-panel installation business has plummeted.

"I think this is really a fundamental part of achieving differentiated product strategy," Musksaid in August 2016. "It's not a thing on the roof. It is the roof, which is a quite difficult engineering challenge and not something that is available anywhere else."

In February 2017, Tesla said in anearnings letter that Solar Roof installations would begin later that year. And in August 2017, Teslasaid the Solar Roof "ultimately pays for itself by reducing or eliminating a homeowner's electricity bill." (That month, Tesla also said it had completed the first Solar Roof installations on the homes of its employees.) 

But Reuters reported in August 2018 thatjust 12 Solar Roofs were connected to the energy grid in California, the biggest market for Tesla's vehicles, two months earlier. And in May of this year, Reuters reported that a "great majority" of the solar cells produced by Panasonic at Tesla's factory in Buffalo, New York, were beingsold overseas instead of being used in the Solar Roof, despite Tesla's May 2018prediction that Solar Roof production would "accelerate significantly" during the second half of that year.

Tesla should have anticipated its Solar Roof issues

Tesla should have foreseen the issues it has had rolling out the Solar Roof, said Sam Jaffe, a managing director at Cairn Energy Research Advisors. Solar roof-tiles are more difficult to produce than traditional solar panels since the tiles have more complicated designs and wiring architectures.

"If it was easy to do solar tiles it would have been done long ago," Jaffe said. Tesla, he said, "shot for the moon, and they so far haven't made it to the surface yet."

Musk suggested this June that Tesla was making slow progress when he said the company was installing the Solar Roof in eight states, but he did not specify the number of roofs that have been delivered. Regarding the Solar Roof's cost-efficiency, he struck a more cautious tone than Tesla had in 2017, saying it had "a shot" at being as expensive or cheaper when compared to a non-solar shingle roof plus the average cost of electricity for a single-family home.

Musk sounded more confident in July of this year,saying on Twitter that Tesla planned to produce around 1,000 Solar Roofs per week by the end of 2019. But the tweet attracted controversy because there was no mention of that target in Tesla's quarterly report, which had been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission just hours earlier. 

Read more:Tesla just announced a giant new battery

David Balenciaga, who lives in Southern California, is one of the few people who have a Solar Roof installed on their home. For him, the roof has psychological benefits that are unrelated to its financial efficacy. It feels good to live almost entirely off of the electrical grid, he said.

"I'm very happy," Balenciaga said. "I mean, yes, it was a little expensive, but to be able to sit here and say that I have an entire four-bedroom home — it's over 3,000 square feet — and I can run everything 100% off of the grid for life, that's pretty impressive."

Balenciaga said his electricity needs are greater than those of the average home, in part because he has to charge his Tesla Model X SUV, but he rarely has to pull electricity from the grid. In addition to the Solar Roof, he has three Powerwall home batteries that can store the energy produced by the roof for use when the sun isn't out or his energy needs are greater than what the roof can supply. 

Between the Solar Roof, Powerwalls, and Model X, Balenciaga embodies the vision Musk has for Tesla customers who are able to live with little to no reliance on fossil fuels for their day-to-day energy needs.

"It's like Elon says, if you're buying a gasoline car in this day and age, it's like buying a horse when cars became available," Balenciaga said. "Why would you invest in that now?"

Tesla's solar-panel business has declined

SEE ALSO: Tesla's business is a mess — but it's actually not that much different from every other car company

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