William Gibson is not one of the authors that spits out novels like a machine – in his long and fruitful career he has only published 11 novels andof short stories and articles in the tens each. Still his impact on modern literature was huge – the “noir prophet” of the cyberpunk subgenre (that he was one of the pioneers of) has predicted the rise of reality television, virtual reality, video games and the internet. He is a Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction writer, with a special eye for what the future might bring.

Modern architecture is nothing short of a miracle. For example, the mind-boggling skyscrapers of Dubai would dumbfound anyone who is lucky enough to witness them in real life. Nevertheless, there are some modern buildings that are not as grand as the Burj Khalifa or Princess Tower, but are still wondrous to look at. Emporia Shopping Centre, located in Malmo, Sweden, is one of those places. The architect who designed this building is named Gert Wingardh. Emporia Shopping Centre was built to look as if its center was melted through by an inferno, leaving behind a giant molten block of gold.

Everyone wants to get something for nothing - whether it's a lucky upgrade that means you can turn left when you get on a plane instead or heading off into the economy seats, or even getting a few extra features thrown in for free when you buy a new car.

As some of the sharpest businesses around, no-one understands this quite as well as casinos and that's why they all have a system that they call comps. It's short for "complimentary offers" and these are special treats specially designed to reward you for your loyalty to the casino in question. They're basically bonuses.

Labourers who work nearby nap on a road as cars drive past in Chongqing Municipality, July 23, 2013. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Four men dressed as zombies participate in a Zombie Walk procession in the streets of Paris October 12, 2013. (Photo by Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

A young Free Syrian Army fighter holds a rifle in Haresta neighbourhood of Damascus January 16, 2013. (Photo by Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

An enthusiast dressed as a zombie takes part in the annual Zombie Walk festival in Prague June 1, 2013. (Photo by David W. Cerny/Reuters)

Replica of an old traditional Icelandic house from the 1800 with eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, 2013. (Photo by Ingólfur Bjargmundsson/Getty Images)