pictures that show why a US aircraft carrier is such a dominant force

Aircraft carriers are the heart of the US Navy. The deck of a carrier is literally a few acres of American territory floating around the world, projecting massive air and seagoing military might.

Carriers are expensive, with new Ford-class ships running about $13 billion, but they last about 50 years.

Business Insider visited the USS Eisenhower during a massive mine clearing effort in the Persian Gulf a few years ago.

The Ike, which is currently undergoing repairs, is the second-oldest US carrier still in service. But as you'll see, her age takes nothing from her powerful presence near foreign soil.

This post is originally by Robert Johnson and Jeremy Bender.

The US Navy currently has 10 commissioned carriers, some of which can carry upwards of 90 aircraft. Thousands of men and women serve on aircraft carriers, with 5,000 pilots, sailors, and Marines serving on the Ike at any one time.

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Revealed the cause of the mysterious blue light in sky that sparked panic in California

A mysterious blue light streaking across the sky sparked panic on Saturday with people calling police with fears it was a flare, a comet or even a nuclear weapon.

The UFO flashed in the sky over southern California just after sunset and police and newspapers were inundated with calls from concerned members of the public.

Videos and photos were quickly posted online as people debated what it was on social media.

The light was reportedly seen as far away as Nevada - home of Area 51 - and Arizona.

However, it was later revealed to be an unarmed Trident missile fired from a Navy submarine, the USS Kentucky, off the coast.

How Vitamin D can turn you into Superman

Daylight savings time is here, whether you like it or not. That means more cold weather, less warm sun, and for some people, vitamin D deficiencies, which, like any vitamin deficiency, can cause a host of health problems.

This week, though, researchers completed a preliminary study on vitamin D and found that if you do happen to get enough of this essential vitamin, it not only reduces the risk of heart disease, but also helps you exercise more strenuously, while simultaneously exhibiting lower signs of exertion.

A destructive myth about Robin Williams was just destroyed

When someone famous dies, the rest of the world scrambles to make the death feel meaningful by building a narrative around it.

And when Robin Williams died, our narrative of choice was the Sad Clown myth. Funny people are actually sad — their humor is amask, a crutch, a coping mechanism. Media coveragehastened to portray Williams’ death as the result of depression.

We saw his death as a suicide in which Williams lifted his playful mask to reveal his true, sadder self.  

But we've since learned that it was wrong and premature to apply the Sad Clown myth to Williams.

He did not just commit suicide because he was depressed; he actually suffered from a horrifying disease whose symptoms are pulled from the dark playbooks of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, and schizophrenia.

Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton spotted on night out together sparking reconciliation rumours

The pair sparked reconciliation rumours

Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton haver sparked reconciliation rumours after they were snapped at the same London nightclub this weekend.

The former couple split up in February, but sent the rumour mill into overdrive as they partied at The Box in Soho together on Friday night.

According to reports, they spent up to four hours inside together as singer John Newman performed, but left the venue separately.

Photos show Nicole keeping her head down as she stepped past cameras, dressed down in a loose pink silk blouse and jeans.

Billionaire steel magnate's son Angad Paul falls to his death from penthouse

Angad Paul and his wife Michelle at the Fortune Forum Club dinner in 2014

A boss at embattled steel company Caparo died after falling from his penthouse home.

Angad Paul, son of billionaire Lord Paul, fell eight storeys, landing on the roof of a building below where his body was spotted by horrified onlookers.

Firefighters were called to lead the operation to get him down and paramedics pronounced the 45-year-old dead at the scene in central London.

Golden Eaglets retain their crown

Nigeria became only the second side to retain the FIFA U-17 World Cup with a 2-0 win against Mali in Vina Del Mar. Victor Osimhen stole the show once again thanks to his record-breaking tenth goal of the tournament, with Funsho Bamgboye adding a second moments later. Samuel Diarra had saved an early Osinachi Ebere penalty as the Malians played their part in an entertaining finale to Chile 2015.

The penalty came as both sides were just finding their rhythm in the opening exchanges, Chato the culprit with a handball. Ebere saw his low effort saved brilliantly by Diarra, the No17's follow up header hit the bar before a third bite of the cherry was blocked by the Malian defence.

Both sides had chances in a tense opening period, with Golden Eaglets skipper Kelechi Nwakali hitting just wide and Boubacar Traore seeing his glancing header tipped over by Akpan Udoh.

Arsenal held as Klopp suffers first defeat

Premier League leaders Manchester City and nearest challengers Arsenal were both held to draws on Sunday as they each dropped points in the title race.

City, surprisingly, could only manage a goalless draw away to bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa, the Birmingham club marking new French manager Remi Garde's first match in charge with a point that owed much to a fine display by goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Arsenal, who kicked off later on Sunday, knew that if they beat arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby they would leapfrog City, who they still trail on goal difference, at the top of the table with a victory at the Emirates Stadium.

But instead they had to make do with a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile Liverpool suffered their first defeat in seven games under new manager Jurgen Klopp with a 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace.

Manuel Pellegrini lost the services of Wilfried Bony to a hamstring injury and then watched in frustration as City failed to make their second-half domination count in a match where Villa ended a dismal run of seven successive defeats.

Man 'with terminal cancer marries sex doll so he doesn't leave a grieving widow'

Wedding: A 28-year-old man has married an inflatable doll

A man with terminal cancer was desperate to get married - but didn't want to leave a heartbroken widow.

His solution? Get married to a SEX DOLL.

Now his surprisingly tasteful wedding pictures have become a viral sensation in his native China.

The Beijing man reportedly wanted to experience a fancy wedding shoot before he died, so he brought the life-like inflatable doll and got the full works - including a make up artisyand a beautiful wedding dress.

In the pictures he is seen tenderly holding his plastic 'bride', enjoying a first dance in a ballroom and even taking part in candid shots in front of the make-up mirror.

16 fascinating facts about North Korea

Everyone's heard a thing or two about North Korea, the "hermit kingdom" that sits on the east coast of China.

North Korea frequently makes headlines as its government continues to tout its military hardware and make boisterous, but so far benign, nuclear threats.

The country has also been linked to several cyber-related incidentslately, but it denies involvement.

Still, the one thing that remains a bit of a mystery is what goes oninside the hermit kingdom, as data isn't readily available or reliable. But check out below some of the things we do know about what makes the country tick:

Women are either bisexual or gay but NEVER straight, say scientists

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Study: Women were shown videos and had their responses recorded, including whether their pupils dilated in response to sexual stimuli (file pic)

Most women are either bisexual or gay but "never straight", research suggests.

Women who say they are straight are in fact aroused by videos of both naked men and naked women, whereas lesbians are much more attracted to the female form.

The study, led by Dr Gerulf Rieger from the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex, involved 345 women

They were shown videos and had their responses recorded, including whether their pupils dilated in response to sexual stimuli.

Soldier is vomited on by fellow trooper - but doesn't even flinch

5 ways drinking enough water changes your body

I'm sure you don't need one more person telling you why you should be drinking more water — but seriously, drinking more water may be the easiest and cheapest way to get healthier.

Drinking enough water affects everything from our skin to our mood to our poop — and since our bodies are about 60 percent water, failing to stay hydrated can really mess us up. We should all make drinking lots of water part of our daily routine, because drinking water changes our bodies for the better.

The benefits of drinking water have been widely researched and reported — often times with eye-catching headlines about how drinking water will magically give you the skin of a baby angel — but what's more important than the potential beauty benefits of drinking water are the many ways water consumption can keep your insides in good shape.

Drinking water helps our kidneys flush toxins out of our blood, it can prevent urinary tract infections and constipation, and it prevents your muscles from shrinking, too. (Yes, dehydration can literally shrink your muscles. Freaky, right?)

So, if you don't already drink lots of water, you really should start — because drinking water changes your body in the best ways. Here are five ways your body changes when you drink water.

New photos suggest Russia's operation in Syria stretches well beyond its air campaign

Three serving or former Russian soldiershave been geolocated by photographs in Syria, including locations near Hama, Aleppo and Homs, Russian bloggers said on Sunday, suggesting the Kremlin's operation stretches well beyond its air campaign.

Russia first launched air strikes to support President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's four-year civil war on Sept. 30 but has repeatedly said it has no intention of mounting a ground operation. 

It has instead said it will limit its help to military trainers, advisers and deliveries of military equipment.

Big match feature: Nigeria vs Mali U17 WCup final

Sunday’s Fifa Under-17 World Cup final will be unique in more ways than one when English referee Michael Oliver gets proceedings underway at the Estadio Sausalito in Vina Del Mar.

This will be Nigeria’s second successive trip to the final after beating Mexico 3-0 in the final to win the last edition in the United Arab Emirates.

It will also be a second all-Africa final at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup after Nigeria edged out Ghana 1-0 in the final of the 1993 edition in Japan where a Wilson Oruma header put the Starlets to the sword.

Four time champions Nigeria will look to make it a fifth trophy at under-17 level and also a record eight appearances in the final of the competition.

Mali, who are the African champions at this level will hope to make it their first Fifa Under-17 World Cup title in their history.