Showing hello: 15 ways people greet each other around the world

These traditional greetings, ranging from region to region, have developed into cultural norms — often to show respect. Take a peek at this helpful infographic made by Two Little Fleas, showing us the different ways people from all over the globe greet one another. And if you're planning a trip anytime soon, take notes so you're not lost in translation

A blind dog is competing in the Iditarod with the rest of her family

"Sometimes I have to throw snacks on the ground extra hard so she can hear where it falls," he said. But Laura is comfortable running in every spot on Maixner's sled team — except lead. When the pediatric dentist puts her in front, she relies on the other dog sharing the lead position to guide the way. Joining Laura on the team this year are a couple family members, her father Shane and her siblings, Big Mike and Flo. Post by Mad Stork Kennel. Laura is a favorite of her handlers.

Maixner said she's not only a reliable runner, but a cheerleader for the team as they make the trek from Fairbanks to the old gold-rush town of Nome. This is Maixner's fifth Iditarod attempt. He scratched from competition late in the race last year, but he's aiming to finish in the top 10 this year with Laura's help. Additional reporting provided by Mashable TOPICS: CUTE ANIMALS, FEEL GOOD, SPORTS, VIDEOS, VIRAL VIDEO, WATERCOOLER

Tesla founder Elon Musk promises to end 'range anxiety' with Model S update

When people think about the practicality of electric cars, one of the first concerns is battery life, particularly given the ever-hungry batteries in our mobile devices. On Sunday, Tesla founder Elon Musk promised to erase those fears completely, a claim that, if true, could boost interest among those

worried about getting stuck in the middle of nowhere while looking at a blinking "battery drained" dashboard symbol. SEE ALSO: Tesla Model S has a secret James Bond setting The news came via Musk's Twitter feed, where he promised to deliver an over the air software update that will "end range anxiety."

Why robots may soon replace fast-food employees

Imagine if the assembly line at your local McDonald's was as automated as the ones that make cars in Detroit. Farfetched? A new report from financial services firm Cornerstone Capital Group makes a solid case that humans behind the counter may be going the way of the McD.L.T.

The chief factors are a climate change-induced spiking of food prices, the uncertain consequences of Obamacare — which could boost the costs of employees — and income distribution trends, which are "increasingly a point of social and political contention."

 Since labor and food costs account for 60% to 70% of industry revenues, those factors threaten a category that already operates on slim profit margins. Raising prices isn't a viable option since fast food is such a price-sensitive segment. Still, John Wilson, head of corporate governance, engagement and research at Cornerstone Capital, said we shouldn't expect to see automated kitchens for another decade or so. On the other hand, we're already seeing mobile apps that let customers order their food ahead of time, and then pick it up at the counter, potentially making cashiers redundant. SEE ALSO:


Fast-food chains have a New Year's resolution: Drop the junk Such technology can help cut costs by making the business more efficient. "When possible, technology used in ordering (kiosks, mobile, online ordering) can speed the process, improve accuracy and decrease labor cost to the operator, allowing them to maintain their current cost margins," according to Darren Tristano, executive vice-president at Technomic, a firm that tracks the fast-food industry. However, Tristano was less sure

about robots taking over the kitchen. "With regards to the back of house, automation in the kitchen — which can help improve labor efficiencies — will also reduce cost, but to some extent, takes away the personal touch of a cook or chef," he said. "These changes may be less desirable by consumers. Overall, automation today will likely save a few dollars, but likely will not be a big impact on restaurant operators who have and will continue to focus on service, hospitality and a friendly smile."

Meerkat CEO: 20% of its users watch 2 hours of video daily

AUSTIN, Texas — Barely 16 days after launch, Meerkat is on a roll, CEO Ben Rubin says. The 27-year-old former architecture student from Israel took the stage Sunday afternoon at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Tex.

to promote Meerkat, the live-streaming app developed by his company Air. Rubin shouldn't have: three days into the conference's Interactive portion, Meerkat is already the conference's "breakout app." SEE ALSO: The most creative uses for Meerkat, SXSW's hottest app During the talk, Rubin disclosed solid figures about engagement. Meerkat easily crossed 100,000 users over the weekend, following a brouhaha with Twitter where the social network cut off the app’s access to its social

graph. Twenty percent of Meerkat users watch over 2 hours of live video daily; eight percent catch a whopping three or more hours a day. If that's right, a serious chunk of Meerkat users spend more time on Rubin's app on any given day than the average Facebook user spent checking their News Feed throughout 2014. Rubin also tossed off high-profile examples of so-called “Meerkaters.” Red Bull

drew 700 viewers when it broadcast an ice skating competition, and a Miami Dolphins game caught the eye of another 1,100 users. And that's not including early supporters such as skateboarder Tony Hawk and actor-turned-startup investor Ashton Kutcher. Obviously, Facebook has been around a lot longer, and Meerkat’s user base is a sliver of the social network’s 1.4 billion-plus. The app also has to prove that it has more longevity than SXSW darlings like Highlight, the location-based app that took off in 2012, then fizzled after. All we can say is, good luck with that.

'Entourage' actor Adrian Grenier tackles social good with help from a tech giant

AUSTIN — Adrian Grenier wants to be Aquaman. Seriously. Like the character he played on the long-running hit series and soon-to-be major motion picture Entourage, the actor and newly-installed Dell Social Good Advocate is eager to play the role. Not for TV or movies, but in real life. “I enjoy being Aquaman in real life. The oceans do need our help. I take it very seriously.

My role in Entourage, I feel I owe it to the fans to fulfill their Aquaman fantasies,” said Greiner with a laugh, adding, “That’s probably why I’m doing a lot of focus on the oceans these days.” SEE ALSO: The first bro-y trailer for the 'Entourage' movie has arrived Grenier, 38, isn’t actually playing Aquaman, a role his character sought and won on the hit show Entourage, but, as he often does, he turned the discussion of the memorable plot point in the show toward his environmental and sustainability work. And, to a certain extent, the Aquaman claim rings true. On the day we spoke just outside downtown Austin, Grenier had just come off a big oceanic win: His Kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary, The Loneliest Whale, about the search for a real-life whale that has spent its entire life alone, just blew past its goal of $300,000 and ended with $400,000, thanks, in part, to a $50,000 assist from Leonardo DiCaprio. The discussion today, though, was about more land-based pursuits. A few days before we spoke, Grenier had signed on to become Dell Computer’s Social

Good Advocate. It’s the kind of title that sounds good, especially on a celebrity, but Grenier and his new partner are quite serious about their goals — even if they haven’t fleshed all of them out. “[Social Good Advocate] means that we’re going to come to the table, sit down and beat out a large list of things we can do over the next year to bring people together and make them more conscious about the world and also find ways that we can get Dell an opportunity to do business better so they can reduce their carbon footprint. And also inspire other companies to follow suit,” said Grenier. As for Dell, they saw in the actor a kindred spirit and an opportunity. “What I like, when I first kind of

started looking; Adrian has already put together several digital platforms, content, specifically around the idea of rebranding sustainability, what it means to people,” said David Lear, Dell's executive director of corporate sustainability. “It’s an incredible opportunity to have a company support my ideas and honor the work that I’ve been doing,” added Grenier. Grenier’s latest role joins a long list of sustainability and environmental projects on the actor’s roster. He already runs SHFT, a so-called “lifestyle platform” focused on sustainability in film, art and food. It’s also quite natural for Greiner to blend social good and commerce. When I met the actor two years ago he was hosting a Ford Motors event at a farm that served dishes made entirely from the food grown there.

Extreme Bionics: This man is rebuilding humanity

AUSTIN, Texas — Dr. Hugh Herr is living proof that "extreme bionics" is no longer science fiction. The double amputee strode about a South by Southwest (SXSW) convention hall stage on two bionic limbs attached just below the knee — and if he weren't wearing suit shorts, the audience might never have known. "I think we will all be surprised at the speed at which bionics occurs in this century," said Herr, who recently established the Center for Extreme Bionics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab. Last year, Herr gained national recognition when his team constructed a

special bionic limb to help a Boston Bombing victim dance again. SEE ALSO: Implanted Prosthetic Arm Moves Us One Step Closer to Bionics During a deep and wide-ranging talk entitled "Extreme Bionics: the End of Disability," Herr outlined his team's efforts to build current and future generations of bionics and human augmentation. There have been many hurdles, including how to communicate with the brain. "The human brain is unimpressive when looked at externally ... inside there's extraordinary complexity," he said. More importantly, Herr's team is investigating how to get information from inside the body outside, and vice-versa.