Aria Bendix

Bill Gates isn't shy about recommending books. As an avid reader, he's given his stamp of approval to hundreds of titles, including some unlikely <a id="99b29e8a-9c77-3461-a402-91122448ea35" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-book-recs-summer-2017-5?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> beach reads </a> .

This year alone, he's highlighted more than 20 books that captured his attention or expanded his worldview.

Read more: <a id="eb477e6d-3168-3a99-a9bd-a6d17844ddb9" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-favorite-books-of-year-2018-11?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> Bill Gates reveals his 5 favorite books he read in the past year </a>

In typical Gates fashion, the list features nonfiction titles about artificial intelligence and global inequality. But it also features some surprises, like <a id="f5ac4d32-d1f2-3be6-acbe-a931993a144c" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-meditation-wife-melinda-2018-12?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> two books on meditation </a> and Trevor Noah’s memoir, "Born a Crime."

Whether you're searching for a gift or simply want to add to your collection, here are the books Gates thinks you should read.

Business Insider readers will no doubt be familiar with "Bad Blood."It's <a id="db0c8e66-3026-3dc5-a9fe-94f315172eb4" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-history-of-silicon-valley-unicorn-theranos-and-ceo-elizabeth-holmes-2018-5?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> the story of Theranos </a> , a blood-testing startup that deceived its investors, patients, and business partners into thinking its technology actually worked.

When Elizabeth Holmes founded the company at just 19 years old, it attracted huge investments and catapulted her to worldwide fame. Then <a id="8fd46c1e-c26e-3e27-ad66-7e15e5947fc0" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-carreyrou-how-theranos-deceived-silicon-valley-startup-bad-blood-sample-technology-2018-5?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> The Wall Street Journal broke the story </a> that the company was faking test results, leading to the closure of its labs and testing centers. Holmes and her former business partner, Sunny Balwani, are now facing jail time on fraud charges.

The book's author, John Carreyrou, <a id="a028f817-3eaa-3fff-a2c2-ab761875bc1f" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-carreyrou-how-theranos-deceived-silicon-valley-startup-bad-blood-sample-technology-2018-5?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> spoke with Business Insider </a> earlier this year about how Theranos was able to pull off the scam.

"I think Elizabeth lost sight of the fact that her company wasn't a computer-software company," he said.

Gates <a id="be401a3b-1145-3878-a3cf-3db322b808f2" href="https://b-gat.es/2QuHNwM"> called the story </a> "a cautionary tale about the virtues of celebrity" and a lesson for Silicon Valley.

<h1> "Army of None" by Paul Scharre </h1>

Paul Scharre's book, "Army of None, explores a timely and important question: Why should we put computers in charge?

In an age when autonomous weapons can be programmed to <a id="d2effeea-fd6b-3492-a78d-4428860f32e8" href="http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/17493/russia-says-january-5th-attack-on-its-syrian-air-base-was-by-a-swarm-of-drones"> wipe out human targets </a> , "Army of None"makes the case for combining artificial intelligence with our own judgment, so that no algorithm can make the final call on a human life.

Gates said <a id="2fbfdad3-1b60-3246-a92a-7178d21ab4eb" href="https://b-gat.es/2Qn9TtZ"> the book filled a void </a> in his canon.

"My first attempt to educate myself on autonomous weapons was a bust," he wrote. "I read a book that was dry and felt really outdated. Then a few months ago I picked up 'Army of None' ... It's the book I had been waiting for."

Fans of the Netflix documentary "Wild Wild Country" will enjoy Tara Westover's memoir, "Educated," the story of a woman raised in a Mormon survivalist home. As a child, Westover grew up under the influence of her conspiracy-theorist father, who believed that doomsday was upon them.

Despite Westover never stepping foot in a classroom until age 17, she was able to study enough to gain admission to Brigham Young University. From there, she earned a Gates Scholarship (a fact Gates himself discovered upon reading her book), which brought her to the University of Cambridge.

Her tale is one of trauma, separation, and, ultimately, self-discovery. It also touches on the polarization in America between red and blue states, rural and urban areas, and college-educated citizens and those without higher degrees.

When Gates <a id="8bbfa2e6-447f-335c-a1b5-8dfddd550161" href="https://b-gat.es/2E69hmH"> spoke with Westover </a> about this subject, she had this to share: "I worry that education is becoming a stick that some people use to beat other people into submission or becoming something that people feel arrogant about," she said. "I think of [it] as this great mechanism of connecting and equalizing."

<h1> "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" by Yuval Noah Harari </h1>

Gates said the title of historian Yuval Noah Harari's latest book is a misnomer.

"Although you will find a few concrete lessons scattered throughout, Harari mostly resists handy prescriptions," Gates wrote.

Instead, it encourages people to practice mindfulness and meditation when faced with some of the world's most pressing problems, like terrorism and inequality.

Though <a id="df3534c5-53d5-3d1d-a311-c166ff608e08" href="https://b-gat.es/2DSqIX1"> Gates takes issue </a> with a few arguments — including the idea that social media has prompted our political polarization — he embraces the idea of tempering our worries amid life's greatest challenges.

He also came away with his own life lesson: "I have to be careful not to fool myself into thinking things are better — or worse — than they actually are."

<h1> "The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness" by Andy Puddicombe </h1>

Continuing with the theme of mindfulness, "Get Some Headspace" provides research-based evidence of why meditation is such a powerful tool for eliminating distraction.

The book's author, Andy Puddicombe, is an ordained Buddhist monk who went on to cofound Headspace, a popular meditation app featuring guided practices, animations, articles, and videos.

Gates refers to Puddicombe as "the person who turned me from skeptic to believer." He even asked Puddicombe to spend a day and a half walking his family through meditation exercises.

"I'm not sure how much meditation would have helped me concentrate in my early Microsoft days," <a id="b55b728b-c01a-3715-a1ea-6b5730b60526" href="https://b-gat.es/2Sjn4t1"> Gates wrote </a> . "But now that I'm married, have three children, and have a broader set of professional and personal interests, it's a great tool for improving my focus."

<h1> "Leonardo da Vinci" by Walter Isaacson </h1>

Gates called Leonardo da Vinci "one of the most fascinating people ever" in a <a id="044d9117-417d-3d1b-ad24-6995e7b92ec7" href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Summer-Books-2018"> blog post </a> published in May.

Though Walter Isaacson's biography of the famous renaissance polymath isn't the first to hit the stands, it's Gates' favorite.

"More than any other Leonardo book I've read, this one helps you see him as a complete human being and understand just how special he was," Gates wrote. "He came close to understanding almost all of what was known on the planet at the time."

<h1> "Everything Happens for a Reason" by Kate Bowler </h1>

Kate Bowler was diagnosed with an incurable form of colon cancer at the age of 35. In her book "Everything Happens for a Reason," Bowler takes on her diagnosis with a surprising amount of humor.

For Gates, her struggle called to mind issues within his own family.

"All four of my grandparents were deeply devout members of a Christian sect who believed that if you got sick, it must be because you did something to deserve it," he wrote. "When one of my grandfathers became seriously ill, he struggled to figure out what he might have done wrong."

Gates admires Bowler's choice to focus less on why things happen, and more on how we respond during difficult times.

<h1> "Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders </h1>

George Saunders' most recent novel, "Lincoln in the Bardo," made Gates "rethink" what he knew about President Abraham Lincoln.

"I got new insight into the way Lincoln must have been crushed by the weight of both grief and responsibility," Gates wrote on his <a id="e72db327-7fd4-3bc8-a9af-e512a4f55e59" href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Summer-Books-2018"> blog </a> in May. "This is one of those fascinating, ambiguous books you'll want to discuss with a friend when you're done."

The novel is structured as a conversation among hundreds of ghosts, including Lincoln's deceased son. It also features snippets of historical texts that reveal conflicting accounts of America's 16th president.

Gates said he was given the recommendation by a tennis buddy. When he was finished, he said, he "couldn't wait to get back on the court and talk to him."

<h1> "Origin Story: A Big History of Everything" by David Christian </h1>

<a id="330a70f7-d7d7-397e-a4e5-f588704dd9b3" href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill-Gates/Summer-Books-2018"> According to Gates </a> , historian David Christian's "Origin Story" will leave you with a "greater appreciation of humanity's place in the universe."

Christian teaches an online course based on the book, called <a id="6da25c34-7cf0-3ebd-a9bd-66ec8627dc48" href="https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home"> Big History </a> , which tells the story of the universe from the Big Bang through the modern era.

Gates considers the book to be a "great refresher" of the course material, though it introduces some new subjects as well.

While Gates took umbrage with some of Christian's predictions about the future of humanity and the universe, he said the author "nails the importance of this moment in history."

Those who enjoyed Steven Pinker's "Enlightenment Now" might also want to check out "Factfulness" by global health expert Hans Rosling.

A doctor and statistician by training, Rosling arguesthat people are collectively taking <a id="a0b38e0f-e33b-3fee-a1c4-e847e831e73b" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-factfulness-by-hans-rosling-favorite-book-review-2018-4-1?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> an overly emotional view </a> of the world.

Using statistics, he seeks to show how humanity is constantly improving based on birth rates, life expectancy, and the gender wage gap. His book also questions our tendency to divide the world between rich and poor countries, or developed and developing areas, giving us new ways to view income and education.

Rosling passed away last year. Gates called the book "a fitting final word from a brilliant man, and one of the best books I've ever read."

<h1> "Alice and Bob Meet the Wall of Fire" by Thomas Lin, Quanta Magazine </h1>

In addition to his blog posts, Gates loves to recommend books on Twitter. In November, he <a id="199dd02d-b515-319c-a360-32ac7900f195" href="https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1068190101061148672"> suggested two titles </a> from Quanta magazine and its editor in chief, Thomas Lin.

The first title, "Alice and Bob Meet the Wall of Fire," features the magazine's best science writing over the last five years. The book explores fascinating subjects like black holes, artificial intelligence, and the evolutionary benefits of loneliness.

David Gross, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, <a id="3e0bb70d-3a6f-37e8-acb7-bc123cb95a9a" href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/alice-and-bob-meet-wall-fire"> called it </a> a "collection of beautifully written articles" featuring "some of the most exciting ideas being contemplated."

<h1> "The Prime Number Conspiracy" by Thomas Lin, Quanta Magazine </h1>

As a complement to "Alice and Bob Meet the Wall of Fire," Gates also recommends "The Prime Number Conspiracy," another Quanta and Thomas Lin production.

The title focuses on surprising solutions and discoveries in mathematics, including one that took place at a bus stop, and another that occurred over the bathroom sink.

Gates recommended the book for "science and data nerds" like him, but it's accessible to other readers as well. Readers will learn how to measure infinity, explore math as a universal language, and ponder the question: "Is mathematics good for you?"

<h1> "The Moment of Lift" by Melinda Gates </h1>

Melinda Gates' "The Moment of Lift" is a call to action for women's empowerment.

The book traces Melinda Gates' work from developing multimedia products at Microsoft to cochairing the Gates Foundation and founding Pivotal Ventures, which invests in projects that promote social progress for women and families in the US.

"Few people tell stories as well as Melinda," <a id="37ea1e47-7937-386e-a0df-cc335592109f" href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1054817629611933702"> Bill Gates tweeted in October </a> . "Whenever she gets back from a trip, I always love hearing her talk about the places she went and the people she met. That's one of the reasons why I'm excited about her new book."

<h1> "Energy and Civilization" by Vaclav Smil </h1>

Gates is <a id="d5bf5473-9657-3f5f-a365-7151d25091e9" href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Energy-and-Civilization"> such a fan </a> of Vaclav Smil's "Energy and Civilization," he's <a id="6bc35263-22d9-308d-a21f-9b02c19c879d" href="https://twitter.com/billgates/status/982984199685652485?lang=en"> highlighted the book </a> two years in a row. Last year, the Microsoft founder admitted he "wait[s] for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars'movie."

As its name suggests, "Energy and Civilization" explains how energy has made life possible throughout history, starting with things like root gathering and donkey-powered mills.

The book ultimately argues that energy consumption is tied to economic growth, and that the transition to clean energy will be a slow one.

23 must-read books that Bill Gates recommended in 2018

When it comes to feeding every person on the planet, the world could fall short of demand by 214 trillion calories per year in less than a decade. That's moreBig Macs than McDonald's has ever sold, said Sara Menker, the founder and CEO of the software company <a id="21fe42c2-f476-3ebb-ac96-8c5e1a66c950" href="https://gro-intelligence.com/about"> Gro Intelligence </a> .

Menker often uses this reference to help people understand the extent of the global food crisis — a disaster she believes is imminent.

At Gro, she collects all sorts of data about the world's agricultural system, from what <a id="2bbcb9e7-d9ba-3267-ab03-c0ab3799f10f" href="https://gro-intelligence.com/insights/coffee-prices-victims-of-great-crops"> types of coffee beans </a> are most lucrative to the <a id="e7ec7f56-1992-331d-a29c-752fdd55f05b" href="https://gro-intelligence.com/blog/mexicos-avocado-exports-seen-rising-sharply"> rise of avocado exports in Mexico </a> . Her company then uses that data to uncover major patterns, like the fact that <a id="41ff17ab-c3d1-3163-ab0f-d37e8cc7791b" href="https://gro-intelligence.com/infographics/grains-take-cue-from-oil"> grain prices tend to follow trends </a> in the oil market.

Read more: <a id="c8cf28f7-bb8e-3370-a486-12b21039c20d" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crispr-genetic-modification-agriculture-food-2018-4?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> A controversial technology could save us from starvation — if we let it </a>

The global food shortage is often defined by the weight of crops needed to feed all citizens. But the words "kilogram" or "ton" haven't done much to convey the threat of food scarcity around the world.

What matters more, according to Menker, is calories — the actual thing that keeps people from going hungry. But even this metric can be confusing.

"It becomes this massive problem that is <a id="cf3c1e8e-a9b7-3cd9-a889-b6b55d1d842f" href="https://www.livescience.com/26870-ginormous-numbers-boggle-the-mind.html"> physically not possible </a> for a human being to process," said Menker.

Menker said her team floated countless comparisons, including the weight of elephants, before landing on the Big Mac. The anecdote made its way into her <a id="9c21fd8e-dfb4-34f4-a533-13f0eee2a49e" href="https://www.ted.com/talks/sara_menker_a_global_food_crisis_may_be_only_a_decade_away"> 2017 TED Talk </a> , which has been viewed nearly 1.5 million times.

<h1> From Wall Street to counting calories </h1>

Menker's path to counting the world's calories is a bit unorthodox. Before Gro, she was a vice president at Morgan Stanley, where she worked in commodities trading.While there, she went from trading sacks of potatoes for gold to investing in farmland.

Like any good Wall Street exec, she started off looking for the best deal.

She soon realized that the best purchase wasn't a $1 per acre plot in a developing country, but a $15,000 to $20,000 per acre plot in the Midwest. That's because investing in the cheaper farmland required borrowing money, obtaining crop insurance, paying for her own trucking service, building her own roads, and leveling her own land.

The process was inefficient. Governments and investors hadn't taken the time, or devoted the resources, to figure out how to grow smarter in these areas. With Menker’s help, they can learn how how to fix the system, and begin investing in it.

At Gro, Menker said, "our greatest challenge is actually getting clients to look at all the data."

Climate data, she said, has been particularly difficult for people to understand, since it "has always sat in the hands of the scientific community."

By presenting information in a way that clients can digest, Gro has created something of a universal language in agriculture.

<h1> Food security involves everyone </h1>

Gro not only makes it easy for people like Wall Street traders to understand weather patterns and temperature trends, but it also demonstrates why these trends matter, according to Menker.

"You can't really tackle trade without understanding climate risk," she said.

Mexico Michoacan avocado farmer farming farm forest

Gro has an altruistic component as well. Consider a grain like quinoa, which has become <a id="8c962e82-443b-3863-a6ce-43152a9a30a8" href="https://www.alternet.org/food/quinoa-hot-new-superfood-it-moral-eat-it"> increasingly popular </a> in Europe and the US. As the global demand for quinoa rises, farmers who grow the crop can no longer afford to purchase it.

Gro allows companies to find areas that yield similar grains, which helps to feed communities. West Africa, for instance, <a id="86dec1a1-a7e7-3cd9-aae2-66b36200c4a8" href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/feb/09/fonio-quinoa-senegal-africa-harlem-restaurant"> produces a grain called fonio </a> that Menker described as a "quinoa equivalent."

In this way, her company makes the case for emerging markets — and new companies to go along with them.

<h1> Traditional agriculture isnt going away </h1>

The practice of vertical farming has risen in popularity as Menker's company has grown. Since founding Gro in 2014, Menker has started to anticipate the question: Why care about climate when some farms make it possible to grow massive amounts of crops indoors?

The answer, she said, is that vertical farming is limited to certain crops — mainly leafy greens, which, despite their health benefits, aren't very caloric.

“The economics work to move leafy greens from outdoor to indoor," she said. "But you're not going to solve your rice problem through vertical farming."

Menker said the process is also geared toward solving food problems in wealthy communities.

"We're talking about feeding the world the basics, let alone the fanciest lettuce or basil," she said."Getting a leafy green that's as close to your home as possible is a privileged economic decision."

"There are lots of great impacts," said Menker. "But it won't solve our looming global food crisis."

The most viable solution, she said, isn't to overhaul the world's agricultural system. It's to make it more efficient.

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This entrepreneur left Wall Street to count the world’s calories. Now she’s warning of a global food disaster equal to the financial crisis.

Japan's <a id="ddfd11b4-9465-3a54-a616-e22b0d447357" href="https://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Asia/Japan/Price-History"> home prices may be rising </a> , but the city still has <a id="5b663440-4291-3aca-a2d7-023c3445881b" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/26/national/japans-glut-abandoned-homes-hard-sell-bargains-opportunity-knocks/#.XAlw35NKiWg"> more than 8 million unoccupied properties </a> — so many that owners have taken to giving them away for free.

In some cases, local governments are even <a id="972dbe5f-b2f5-312e-a382-5b03f50cd7fa" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/26/national/japans-glut-abandoned-homes-hard-sell-bargains-opportunity-knocks/#.XAmVypNKiWh"> offering subsidies </a> for people willing to tear down homes and build new ones, according to The Japan Times.

Though many properties aren't listed on the market, they do appear on <a id="5a5c0932-1a74-324e-a2e8-bdff197b0d4b" href="http://inakanoseikatsu.com/"> online </a> <a id="42e85d45-9837-318c-a192-18486d76edb8" href="http://inakanoseikatsu.com/"> databases </a> called akiya banks, a reference to the Japanese word for "empty home." While some of these properties are being given away, others are being sold for as little as $4.

Those outside Japan can <a id="e4a86abb-477a-34c9-a2c4-2ff93ffa75b5" href="https://resources.realestate.co.jp/buy/guide-to-buying-a-home-in-japan/"> purchase the properties </a> without a residence visa, though it's much easier to find financing if you have one, or have at least worked in the country.

Many of the homes are dilapidated — a product of the shoddy construction methods used during the postwar housing boom in the 1960s. These prefabricated structures have a <a id="bf570c22-cf6c-381a-a80e-38ba1b893c45" href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusable-housing-revolution"> lifespan of just 20 to 30 years </a> , according to The Guardian. A number of them are also built on sloping land, making them structurally unsound.

But there are bigger reasons why no one seems interested in buying.

Japan's population is shrinking, with researchers predicting the <a id="54d4448e-5f73-31d2-ac54-02dd9ff49ac0" href="http://www.ipss.go.jp/pp-zenkoku/e/zenkoku_e2017/pp_zenkoku2017e_gaiyou.html#e_zenkoku_II"> loss of around 16 million citizens </a> in a little more than two decades. Its residents are also trending older, meaning there are fewer young people trying to nab property — particularly in suburban or rural areas.

The phenomenon has carried over into urban areas as well. The Japan Times reported that more than one in ten <a id="c35d41c1-a815-35bb-a3d4-294bfd4db637" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/26/national/japans-glut-abandoned-homes-hard-sell-bargains-opportunity-knocks/#.XAmVypNKiWh"> homes in Tokyo are now empty </a> .

Though there's certainly a demand for property in cities, Japan's real estate market actually encourages the demolition of buildings. Property taxes are six times higher on land with a physical structure as opposed to a vacant lot.

While this problem could be addressed by government incentives, reversing the mindset of local buyers may be a difficult task.

In Japan, it's often considered bad luck to purchase a home that has witnessed a murder, suicide, or "lonely death" (one that occurred in isolation). Many would prefer to abandon these stigmatized properties than invest in sordid land.

A few realtors have <a id="f1f64fc1-55b4-3b67-a552-49f3ca3b11a0" href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/12/26/national/japans-glut-abandoned-homes-hard-sell-bargains-opportunity-knocks/#.XAmVypNKiWh"> sidestepped superstitions </a> by performing rituals and incorporating feng shui into their renovations. But, to many owners, the homes simply aren't worth the investment. Even the akiya banks haven't resulted in many sales.

For a time, there was a possibility that a new home-sharing law would allow Airbnb and other services to take over the properties. When the law arrived in June, however, it imposed severe restrictions, like <a id="7e414fe6-a510-3743-aeed-403ad0a81f5c" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Sharing-Economy/Japan-home-sharing-law-causes-owners-to-exit-market"> capping the rental period </a> to 180 days. Airbnb hosts have fled the market ever since.

In the meantime, Japanese home buyers have continued to prioritize new homes, and its millions of akiyas have remained just that: empty.

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Millions of Japanese homes are abandoned, and owners are giving them away for free

The California wildfires <a id="513f2887-269d-3b9a-ae2f-760e23127a86" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-wildfires-fire-insurance-facts-2018-11?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> destroyed thousands of homes </a> across the state, leaving behind an even greater share of displaced residents. Though the flames have now subsided, locals are left with a lingering environmental threat: the presence of hazardous chemicals.

As the homes began to burn, so did theitems inside: things like <a id="98a3b8ea-e887-390d-a42c-10bb98e8bba0" href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nontoxic-air-fresheners/"> phthalate-filled air fresheners </a> , couches manufactured with <a id="7a590a45-52e0-32b3-a70d-fef754daccff" href="http://greensciencepolicy.org/topics/furniture/"> flame retardant </a> , and Teflon pans made with <a id="7a064899-a06f-3822-afa5-eecaaf55822c" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26761418"> harmful </a> <a id="8b71e0d8-e590-3f9e-abd1-a323bd3e94f8" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26761418"> PFCs </a> . These chemicals are linked to a number of adverse health effects, including cancer, developmental defects, and reproductive issues.

It's not just fire victims who are at risk. Each day, homeowners are exposed to these chemicals in the form of building materials or consumer products.

To find out which are the most dangerous, Business Insider spoke with Dr. <a id="4ffb7f31-c6d5-3ba7-a9f4-dee7aaa0a9a5" href="https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/leonardo-trasande"> Leonardo Trasande </a> , an NYU professor and expert in children's environmental health.

"There is increasing and accelerating evidence that synthetic chemicals commonly found in the home contribute to disease and disability," said Trasande.

Right now, he said, the <a id="9a3c596c-c51a-3cdf-a9a8-37c8fe7e993a" href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0151"> evidence is strongest among children </a> , whose bodies are still developing and whose metabolic pathways haven't built up immunity to environmental hazards. Children also weigh less, so their exposure can be higher.

Trasande identified the following types of household chemicals as some of the most toxic to humans.

Where they reside: Pesticides are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and milk, among other foods. Thenonprofit Environmental Working Group even discovered what they considered to be <a id="40ee53fa-ffe1-389f-a269-9553a6402b34" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/study-monsanto-chemical-cheerios-quaker-oats-2018-10?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> harmful levels of weed-killer </a> — a common pesticide — in Cheerios and Quaker Oats products (There's been some debate about whether these low levels are actually toxic.)

The potential health effects: While scientists are still figuring out the link between pesticides and human disease, <a id="48e4b902-0bef-3182-ad84-1f563d615a0a" href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)70134-8/fulltext"> studies have indicated </a> that exposure to certain pesticides may cause <a id="2c70000d-d403-38e5-a4dd-64f7ddb237f4" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848917/"> cancers like leukemia </a> and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Pesticides have also been linked to <a id="4daebb14-d21d-3a7d-a69e-55e412dd7d7f" href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322763.php"> autism risk in infants </a> and <a id="8be1e12f-0743-3146-a5c5-ead0d55e6b70" href="https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/news/release/2015/study-links-pesticide-ADHD-in-boys-06-01-2015"> attention deficit hyperactivity disorder </a> (ADHD) in children and young teens.

How to limit exposure: Trasande said there are a few simple steps people can take to limit their exposure, like not spraying pesticides in their backyards. He also recommended switching to organic foods when possible, though even <a id="9e02bb5b-a8e4-3538-ae28-5e27286b3925" href="https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~lhom/organictext.html"> organic produce can also contain pesticides </a> .

Where they reside: Phthalates are part of the plasticizer family, which make plastic durable and flexible. Although Congress instituted a federal ban on phthalates in toys and children's products in 2008, the chemicals continue to be used in manufacturing. As of 2016, phthalates still represented <a id="0c54fad8-5a52-33ab-afab-df71ecdddcd0" href="https://www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/chemicals/plasticizers/"> a third of the plasticizer market </a> . Among the <a id="54abd1b7-f773-3da9-ada1-3f64da2dfdcb" href="https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productsingredients/ingredients/ucm128250.htm"> long list of products </a> containing phthalates are items like vinyl flooring, shower curtains, detergents, nail polish, hair sprays, shampoos, and perfumes.

The potential health effects: Trasande said phthalates are associated with a number of reproductive issues, including decreased reproductive functions in men and endometriosis in women. Additional studies have <a id="59a6d04f-8694-380b-afc3-47617de737a2" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/healthy-materials-lab/resources/toxic-chemicals-in-building-materials.pdf"> found a link </a> between phthalates and obesity, ADHD, asthma, diabetes, and breast cancer.

How to limit exposure: Reducing exposure to phthalates is a challenge, given how many products contain the chemical. One helpful trick is to <a id="fca88eca-9417-3ed0-acc8-a271e925572f" href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/phthalates-plastics-chemicals-research-analysis"> look for key words on the label </a> . If a product was packaged in "recycling-code-3" plastic or contains the word "fragrance," phthalates could be present.

Where it resides: Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical commonly found in plastics such as water bottles and food packaging. It's also hidden in household items like paper receipts and the linings of aluminium cans.

The potential health effects: Numerous scientists, <a id="b4b6e9e3-8d30-35fb-a197-2d4622524484" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1360865"> including Trasande </a> , have uncovered a link between BPA and obesity. The chemical has also been associated with coronary artery disease, <a id="38321943-347b-3b20-a8bf-0590eb92d399" href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/bpa/faq-20058331"> increased blood pressure </a> , and issues with <a id="939098df-b845-37b1-a028-75e638e338f6" href="https://www.aspph.org/rutgers-study-finds-bpa-exposure-during-pregnancy-may-alter-female-reproductive-development/"> female reproductive development </a> .While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that BPA is safe for humans, their assertion has been <a id="e3b8a0ef-1d35-3ca8-a853-9d295b4f0872" href="https://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/center-science-and-democracy/promoting-scientific-integrity/bisphenol-a.html#.XAbwBZNKi-o"> widely challenged </a> by the scientific community.

How to limit exposure: To avoid BPA exposure, Trasande said, homeowners should stop microwaving plastic, scale back on canned food consumption, and replace plastic containers with an alternative like glass or stainless steel.

Where they reside: As the name suggests, flame retardants are designed to make products like electronics, furniture, carpets, and building materials less flammable. To date, 13 states have <a id="a41a5074-0f74-3c18-a112-c61c29f62774" href="http://www.saferstates.com/toxic-chemicals/toxic-flame-retardants/"> adopted policies </a> that limit or ban flame retardants from certain products. But the chemicals still <a id="7e784c3b-25cb-3338-a47f-0f67fae3c9e4" href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/flame_retardants/index.cfm"> linger in the environment </a> in soil, water, and air. They're also commonly found in <a id="67fcde3f-5fcd-3305-a70b-2e2db606fa05" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121128093810.htm"> household dust </a> .

The potential health effects: Flame retardants have been associated with a litany of negative health effects, including <a id="e3e6a550-81c0-3c0f-a129-d54a399cd7df" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28772138"> thyroid cancer </a> , ADHD, slower brain development, and <a id="0c79a6bf-ddea-391d-a4e4-6d1acd058a37" href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2017/08/407951/higher-exposure-flame-retardants-pregnant-women-leads-lower-iq-children"> decreases in children's IQs </a> . Flame retardants in indoor dust could also cause <a id="60fa5e49-0c8a-3fba-a081-ff8c7d0440a3" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23724807"> allergies and asthma </a> .

How to limit exposure: Frequent mopping and vacuuming can help reduce the likelihood of inhaling dust laced with flame retardant. Parents should also watch out for mattresses and children's toys that contain polyurethane foam.

As science uncovers more evidence of the dangers of these chemicals, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to lag behind. Thus far, the EPA has only <a id="7194f700-0ed4-3d88-ae1f-897aac595f6d" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/epa-only-restricts-9-chemicals-2016-2?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> banned a handful of chemicals </a> , despite the presence of 80,000 on the US market.

Trasande called the EPA's <a id="7ae93f5f-aab4-3a8d-ab49-030d93337cf1" href="https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/P1003351.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&amp;Client=EPA&amp;Index=2006+Thru+2010&amp;Docs=&amp;Query=&amp;Time=&amp;EndTime=&amp;SearchMethod=1&amp;TocRestrict=n&amp;Toc=&amp;TocEntry=&amp;QField=&amp;QFieldYear=&amp;QFieldMonth=&amp;QFieldDay=&amp;IntQFieldOp=0&amp;ExtQFieldOp=0&amp;XmlQuery=&amp;File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C06thru10%5CTxt%5C00000007%5CP1003351.txt&amp;User=ANONYMOUS&amp;Password=anonymous&amp;SortMethod=h%7C-&amp;MaximumDocuments=1&amp;FuzzyDegree=0&amp;ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&amp;Display=hpfr&amp;DefSeekPage=x&amp;SearchBack=ZyActionL&amp;Back=ZyActionS&amp;BackDesc=Results%20page&amp;MaximumPages=1&amp;ZyEntry=1&amp;SeekPage=x&amp;ZyPURL"> framework for evaluating toxicity </a> "over-simplified and "limited on a number of levels."

"We're recognizing that low-level exposure to an array of synthetic chemicals commonly used in our household products contributes to these diseases," Trasande said. "What little we know suggests broad consequences."

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Toxic chemicals in your home could be linked to cancer, autism, and reproductive issues. Here are 4 of the most concerning.

Recent years have ushered in a " <a id="42f72a1d-988e-38d6-a40d-eb5f2e49259e" href="https://nextcity.org/features/view/war-on-cars-winnable"> war on cars </a> " in cities.

As urban areas become more crowded and roads become more congested, city governments have taken up arms against excess traffic and parked vehicles.

Cars are also frequent contributors to air pollution, one of the <a id="0be9ac4a-6f10-379b-adf8-fe620d9dc345" href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/08/air-pollution-opportunity-not-just-problem/"> main causes of worldwide deaths </a> , behind smoking, high blood pressure, and diet. In addition to releasing harmful substances like carbon monoxide, cars produce greenhouse gas emissions that are <a id="f2a8aafe-5438-37f3-af40-188ef760fe73" href="https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/vehicles-air-pollution-and-human-health/cars-trucks-air-pollution#bf-toc-3"> damaging to the environment </a> .

Read more: <a id="bba2fabc-2551-3c41-a3f7-a0e0abbafbde" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cities-going-car-free-ban-2017-8?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> 13 cities that are starting to ban cars </a>

The city of Madrid heeded this warning last week with a <a id="6e940b61-4f57-32c8-a8d6-a627a4d02dda" href="https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/cleanair/madrid-bans-car-emissions-from-city-centre-a4008191.html"> ban on older cars </a> , which are now prohibited from entering the city center.

The ban is part of a municipal-led initiative called Madrid Central, which aims to <a id="0d45c6cf-dba2-384c-a105-406e5027c72e" href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/3/18123561/vehicle-emissions-pollution-ban-madrid-spain-traffic-decrease"> reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide </a> , a harmful pollutant that can cause lung irritation and lead to respiratory infections like pneumonia.

The ban restricts the access of petrol vehicles made prior to 2000 and diesel vehicles made prior to 2006, which are <a id="608d5f2d-1f22-3a20-a34f-515a2cf1c31a" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46403397"> only permitted </a> if they have a private parking spot and are registered in advance. Come 2020, these cars won't be allowed to enter at all.

Older diesel and petrol taxis are permitted until 2022, while hybrid vehicles with an "eco label" are granted free reign.

Any car that's found in violation of the new rules will have to pay a fine of about $100. The city expects the ban to impact around 20% of the cars entering the urban core.

Their estimates proved somewhat accurate on the first day of the ban, which <a id="2c773632-58ad-3cfc-a095-85a35bc65635" href="https://elpais.com/ccaa/2018/11/30/madrid/1543576650_123054.html?rel=lom"> reduced traffic on the city's busiest street </a> , Gran Vía, by nearly a third, according to the Spanish newspaper El País. Other streets saw reductions ranging from 6% to 14%.

Madrid joins <a id="5c56f3f2-c02e-37b0-a24b-d9daa9454a53" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cities-going-car-free-ban-2017-8?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> a host of cities </a> that are cracking down on older vehicles, which produce substantially more emissions than new cars. Already, the city of Paris has instated <a id="04e53308-8367-3e08-ac10-d9a03455eee1" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/paris-car-free-sundays-city-centre-france-pedestrian-a8566991.html"> car-free Sundays </a> in the urban core, as well as an <a id="fa7625fc-e7b7-3713-ae90-2102398123d4" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/paris-car-free-sundays-city-centre-france-pedestrian-a8566991.html"> annual car-free day </a> throughout the entire city. Cities like London and Athens have proposed similar bans on diesel or petrol vehicles.

Many citizens and politicians have criticized these bans as unfairly targeting low-income residents, who are more likely to drive older cars. Others see it as a necessary measure to prevent <a id="8386d754-425b-31d1-a373-14497827f3f0" href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/nov/30/its-the-only-way-forward-madrid-bans-polluting-vehicles-from-city-centre"> tens of thousands of premature deaths </a> .

"We've reached a point where it's healthier for some people to stay inside and not exercise, rather than walk outside and breathe polluted air," wrote Audrey de Nazelle, a senior lecturer in air pollution management at Imperial College London, in a <a id="b9ffb09c-5660-3e08-a5c1-e7c2a8c76f78" href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/08/air-pollution-opportunity-not-just-problem/"> recent blog post </a> .

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Madrid’s ban on cars cut traffic on its busiest street by a third — and other cities are cracking down

Luxembourg City may be small, but its traffic congestion is among the worst in the world. A <a id="e5ead39f-72dc-3af7-ab22-89b5a29359a2" href="http://luxembourg.public.lu/en/actualites/2017/02/22-bouchon/index.html"> recent study </a> found that Luxembourg drivers spend more time in traffic than <a id="5eae9440-bfe8-37d6-a5f8-71f9d1b015e2" href="https://laist.com/2018/07/12/nothing_can_fix_la_traffic_so_deal_with_it.php"> those in Los Angeles </a> , a city known for its intense gridlocks and painstaking commutes.

Luxembourg's national government hasn't ignored about the problem. After months of providing no-fare transportation to students and young residents, the country will be the first to offer free public transit to its 110,000 citizens.

Starting in the summer, Luxembourg residents won't have pay fares on trains, trams, or buses. By 2020, tickets for these services will be eliminated entirely. The government hopes to save money on collecting fares and overseeing ticket purchases.

The ultimate goal is to incentivize people to ditch their cars and start using buses and trains instead. Luxembourg is also working to accommodate a <a id="86763a6c-0577-32a0-abb8-7959bd8a7dd7" href="https://luxtimes.lu/archives/3731-close-to-180-000-cross-border-workers-in-luxembourg"> growing share of cross-border commuters </a> .

The country isn't alone in its efforts to address these issues. Madrid recently <a id="e19a7b38-87ad-3364-ada5-8789bdf3e402" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/madrid-ban-cars-traffic-pollution-2018-12?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> banned older cars </a> from its urban core, signalling a <a id="514a32f5-6c6a-360a-a562-b126e6271f57" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cities-going-car-free-ban-2017-8?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> growing trend </a> among major cities. Copenhagen aims to build a superhighway for bikes, while Brussels and Hamburg are instituting no-car zones.

But few cities — let alone countries — have managed to extend free public transit to their citizens.

There have been a few notable examples: In 2013, a small city in Estonia <a id="b0e6eacc-3844-3a1a-a630-59d980f06ce3" href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/05/estonia-will-roll-out-free-public-transit-nationwide/560648/"> offered free transit </a> to curb its population loss, but <a id="92e88f7a-de8b-33b3-add5-d7c9784c4f25" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/01/why-cant-public-transit-be-free/384929/"> a follow-up study </a> showed that demand only increased slightly. More than 15 years earlier, the Belgian city of Hasselt <a id="103c103e-3ed3-3074-ac2a-1076960e4142" href="http://www.eltis.org/discover/news/hasselt-cancels-free-public-transport-after-16-years-belgium-0"> offered the same public benefit </a> , before canceling the policy in 2013.

Read more: <a id="f67116a1-fb28-39b8-a2ab-c45ec3ef7a20" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-transportation-systems-new-york-london-paris-subway-metro-railway-2018-9?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> How 10 of the world's most famous subway systems compare, from Dubai to New York City </a>

Paris is now <a id="64c65398-cf46-35d2-a58f-d354fcaf42d5" href="https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/3k43p9/free-public-transit-estonia-transportation"> testing the idea </a> by giving low-income seniors and disabled residents free monthly passes. Extending this program to all citizens would cost the city around $6.8 billion annually, <a id="42db6224-87bd-32e5-a85e-d8e13e1a6cea" href="http://www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/2018/05/06/20002-20180506ARTFIG00052-gratuite-des-transports-a-paris-les-differents-scenarios-envisages-par-anne-hidalgo.php"> one study estimated </a> .

There's been <a id="8c5aab47-af62-375b-a7d6-0aa7bfa10058" href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/05/paris-ponders-an-audacious-idea-free-transit-for-all/560522/"> much debate </a> about whether these policies actually work.

In addition to being expensive for governments, there's a chance that free transit passes won't actually change people's commuting preferences. Multiple experiments have found that no-fare programs merely <a id="d37bf401-d0bb-361a-ada8-b4d427d3f963" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/01/why-cant-public-transit-be-free/384929/"> encourage pedestrians and cyclists </a> to make the switch instead of drivers.

There's also the problem of scaling these programs in big cities like New York and London, which accommodate more than 4 million subway riders a day. With New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority already anticipating the need for <a id="612bc426-abaa-372d-a4d9-8c53e37397c6" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-subway-37-billion-plan-for-repair-unveiled-2018-5?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest"> $37 billion worth of subway renovations </a> , it's tough to see where the city would find the money.

In a small country like Luxembourg, the chance of success may be higher, but evidence that it will change long-term driving habits is slim.

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<ul><li> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/madrid-ban-cars-traffic-pollution-2018-12?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">Madrid’s ban on cars cut traffic on its busiest street by a third — and other cities are cracking down</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/island-of-tiny-homes-norway-photos-2018-11?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">An island of tiny homes in Norway is available to rent for $3,500 a week. People call it a 'slice of heaven.'</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/micro-kitchens-new-york-san-francisco-2018-11?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">50 stunning photos reveal what microkitchens are like in New York and San Francisco</a> </li></ul>

Luxembourg just became the first country to offer free public transportation, but the policy might not work as planned

On December 3, the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Millennium-Tower-homeowners-propose-100-million-13440479.php" id="d2bb80fd-7628-3402-a148-a3ad2546afd2"> San Francisco Chronicle reported </a> that the Millennium Tower Homeowners Association will put forward a $100 million plan to address the tower's instability.

Since its opening in 2009, the 58-story skyscraper has sunk 17 inches and tilted another 14 inches to the northwest, generating concerns among residents that the building's foundation could jeopardize their safety.

The structure's unsteady footing has given rise to a host of other controversies, including weakened home values, accusations of fraud, and years of legal battles. Residents have also complained of mysterious odors, bubbling floors, cracked walls, and a giant fissure in a window on the 36th floor.

But developers have not determined the cause of the tilting and sinking. Though investigators insist the structure is sound, they face mounting apprehension about the building's future.

Here's a history of everything that's gone wrong with the tower in the past decade.

<h1> The $350 million development was proposed in 2002, and construction began three years later. </h1>

The building's designer, Handel Architects, is responsible for the World Trade Center Memorial in Lower Manhattan.

At the time of its construction, the tower was the first skyscraper to be built in downtown San Francisco in two decades.

<h1> The tower opened to the public in April 2009. </h1>

At 58 stories high, the tower is the tallest residential building in San Francisco. Owners of the building's multimillion-dollar luxury condos enjoy panoramic views of the Bay Area and easy access to the city's downtown.

The high-rise is missing its 13th and 44th floors because of <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2016/2/8/10940552/new-boston-towers-superstitiously-omit-44th-floors-for-chinese-buyers" id="51dd26b8-62e2-3e0e-a14b-634e754b5d38"> superstition </a> among Chinese and American buyers.

<h1> In less than five weeks of sales, the tower sold $100 million worth of condos, with units ranging from $1.6 million to $10 million. </h1>

The tower's grand penthouse sold for $9.4 million in 2009.

In exchange for a hefty price tag, homeowners gained access to a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, a temperature-controlled wine locker, and concierge service, among other luxury amenities.

<h1> Since its opening, the tower has attracted celebrity tenants such as the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, the Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, and the venture capitalist Tom Perkins. </h1>

<h1> All was well until 2010, when construction began on the Salesforce Transit Center (formerly the Transbay Transit Center) next door. </h1>

Google Earth; Melia Robinson/Business Insider

The agency responsible for the transit center, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, hired a consulting firm to investigate how the excavation could affect the tower.

<h1> Its report found that the tower had sunk 10 inches into the ground — 4 inches more than the builders had predicted for the entire lifetime of the structure. </h1>

<h1> In 2014, a nine-month independent safety review determined that the sinking did not pose a safety risk. </h1>

<h1> More unsettling news came in 2015, when residents learned that the building had sunk 16 inches and tilted 2 inches to the northwest. </h1>

Tenants also complained of cracks in the walls of the parking garage and floors bubbling up from moisture.

<h1> The reports kicked off a feud between the tower's developer, Millennium Partners, and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. </h1>

<h1> Millennium Partners claims that the construction of the Salesforce Transit Center is responsible for the sinking. </h1>

San Francisco's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/millennium-tower?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest" id="dcd3b9c6-4662-3e1b-a110-962dc7e2d27e"> Millennium Tower </a> has been sinking and tilting for years — but its homeowners may have finally found a solution.

Aria Bendix

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