Did the universe start with a bang or a bounce—or something else entirely? The question of our origins is one of the thorniest in physics, with few answers and lots of speculation and strong feelings. The most popular theory by far is inflation, the notion that the cosmos blew up in size in the first few fractions of a second after it was born in a bang. But an underdog idea posits that the birth of this universe was not actually the beginning—that an earlier version of spacetime had existed and contracted toward a “big crunch,” then flipped and started expanding into what we see today. Now a new study suggesting a twist on this “bounce” scenario has supporters excited and inflation proponents newly inflamed over a “rival” they say they have repeatedly disproved, only to have it keep bouncing back.

Image: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale and NASA/JPL-Caltech and NASA/STScI

While wage growth in the U.S. has been stagnant for years, workers at some companies are pulling hefty paychecks.

To compile its 2016 list of the highest-paying companies in America, job search site Glassdoor analyzed anonymous salary reports and other compensation information, such as tips and bonuses, from its users. For a job to make the list, there had to be at least 50 reports on that job submitted from March 2015 through March 2016.

Jet.com, the once-scrappy supposed killer of Amazon, is now just another part of the corporate machinery—albeit a corporate machinery that wants to compete with Amazon. Earlier this week, Walmart bought Jet.com for $3.3 billion, an attempt by the big box retailer to boost its flatlining e-commerce presence. Though Jet.com and Walmart.com will remain separate brands, Jet’s CEO, Marc Lore, will be overseeing both.

No matter which way you slice it, this will be a huge change for those inside Jet—Lore especially. And it will inevitably bring new and unforeseen challenges to the startup founder. So what should Lore expect with his new role?

Image: Flickr user Steve

As a startup advisor and investor, I find that more and more entrepreneurs avoid using the term “profit” in pitching their new venture. They seem to feel it conveys a message of personal enrichment at the expense of others. My view is that the purpose of every business is to make a profit, as fuel for growth, sustainability, and social impact. Without profit there is no business.

No matter how good the business idea, it usually requires raising capital to become a viable business. 

In a world where venture capitalists are becoming risk averse and increasingly behaving like private equity firms, it should come as no surprise that there has been a dramatic decline in seed funding. 

Image: Sarabjot Kaur, founder of Experfy.  IMAGE: SARABJOT KAUR

Building a team with great people has always been the key to a successful business. To achieve this, some companies recruit superstars from their competitors or similar industries where their skills are transferable. Unfortunately, like in sports, there are many examples where these business superstars who are successful at one company are not at their new one. For example, Ron Johnson, Apple’s Vice President of Retail, who revolutionized the industry with Apple stores, lasted less than two years when he was drafted by JCPenny’s to turn around their retail efforts.

Image: http://smallbiztrends.com

I live in the future.

I drive a Tesla electric vehicle, which controls the steering wheel on highways. My house in Menlo Park, Calif., is a “passive” home that expends minimal energy on heating or cooling. With the solar panels on my roof, my energy bills are close to zero — and that includes charging the car. My iPhone is encased in a cradle laced with electronic sensors that I can place against my chest to generate a detailed electrocardiogram. Because I have a history of heart trouble, including a life-threatening heart attack, knowing that I can communicate with my doctors in seconds is a comfort.

Michael Phelps is red, white, and black and blue all over this Olympics thanks to a scientifically questionable technique known as cupping. Phelps and other athletes are turning to cupping therapy in hopes of healing their sore muscles. It’s a procedure based in ancient medicine in which cups are placed on top of the skin. The cups create a vacuum, pulling up the skin in an effort to stimulate blood flow to the area. It leaves behind the hallmark round bruises, often deep red or purple, that several swimmers and gymnasts are sporting in Rio. 

The country could create sustainable economic conditions in five ways, such as promoting acceptable living standards, improving the urban infrastructure, and unlocking the potential of women.

Twenty-five years ago, India embarked on a journey of economic liberalization, opening its doors to globalization and market forces. We, and the rest of the world, have watched as the investment and trade regime introduced in 1991 raised economic growth, increased consumer choice, and reduced poverty significantly.

The job market is competitive in America and it is becoming even more competitive on the international front. America has lost its edge in the world market, ranking eighth after South Korea, Germany and Switzerland. So what happened? Isn’t America the home of the innovator and entrepreneur?

Innovation is so important the Bloomberg Global Innovation Index ranks competitive and innovative strengths of 141 countries. Many of the countries ranked are still developing countries so America should be at the lead, but when it comes to innovation we rank a mediocre 33rd in innovation efficiency and a paltry 42nd in innovation- applied education.

Image: http://bouldercityreview.com

Sometimes the best way to stay competitive is not to compete. It may be less risky than you think.

More and more companies – from start-ups to incumbents– are taking a less literal approach to pursuing competitive advantage. They’re discovering untapped value potential by engaging industry rivals with a hybrid strategy of cooperation and competition, or “coopetition”. For example, Amazon and LinkedIn have welcomed competitors onto their respective platforms, recognising that expansion of their network was its own reward.

What Venture Capital Looks for in Entrepreneurs

The Big Q: What does venture capital look for when backing entrepreneurs?

With billions of dollars flowing into start-ups around the world, that question is really important, as is the answer.

It starts with the people, and then the sector.

Entrepreneurs seem to have blinders on when looking at competitors. Generally they are so focused on killing competitors that they fail to see the positive potential of a strategic partnership or some other type of collaborative relationship. Sometimes you have to put aside the emotion and the passion, and just look at what is best for your business.

Cities large and small are leading the charge on the country’s transition to clean energy, driven by concerns that range from air pollution to the need to create jobs, according to a new report from the Sierra Club.

The report, part of the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign that is pushing cities to transition to 100% renewable energy, underscores the role urban areas play in addressing climate change. Cities produce more than 60% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to a United Nations report, and which makes urban zones a key point of leveraging fighting global warming.

Listening to some people is a treat. Even if they’re just introducing other speakers, reading passages at a wedding, or addressing a meeting, you want them to keep talking.

Such vocal competence can seem like a natural gift, but talk to top voice-over artists, and you learn that sounding good out loud is a skill like any other. You can get better at it with time. Here are some ways to improve your vocal tone and delivery so that others will find listening to you to be a pleasant experience.

Image: Flickr user Michael

Most new hires spend their first few days on the job getting acclimated to the company, meeting their coworkers, and undergoing training. While these tasks are important, some companies like to immerse new employees in their culture by getting them outside and involved in activities that represent their values.

Here are eight creative onboarding practices businesses are using to engage new hires and help them get excited about their jobs.

Image: Flickr user RamaRaju Penumatsa

The need for affordable space for is the most urgent concern in across Austin’s arts and creative communities.

Among the steps the city’s Cultural Arts Division is taking is take a census of all the city’s cultural facilities — both public owned such as recreation centers and libraries as well as private spaces, cultural “corridors” and formal or informal neighborhood creative hotspots.

Image: The 134-seat Boyd Vance Theatre is in the city’s Carver Museum and Cultural Center in East Austin. - http://arts.blog.austin360.com

Andrea Goulet and her business partner sat in her living room, casually reviewing their strategic plan, when an episode of This Old House came on television. It was one of those moments where ideas collide to create something new. They’d been looking for a way to communicate their value proposition — cleaning up legacy code and technical debt for other companies. And here they were, face to face with the perfect analogy.

Image: http://firstround.com

According to a recent research, called Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, almost 40% of aspiring entrepreneurs in Estonia say they would be prevented from starting their own business due to the fear of failure. Now, a European Commission project aims to boost entrepreneurship by tackling the emotional side of developing one’s own business.

Image: http://estonianworld.com

There has been a lot of talk of entrepreneurship in the last few years, and we often share the stories of those trying to make a go of starting a business in Michigan and specifically, the Detroit area.

However, according to a new report and article by Bridge Magazine, in only two counties in the state – none in the Detroit area – have the number of employers (businesses) recovered or gone up compared to 2006 levels.

Image: http://www.dailydetroit.com