Reno, Nevada, has been named the happiest place to live in America, chosen as an reformative and affordable ‘modern boomtown’ with fair weather and creative outlets year round.

The city was chosen by Outside, based on factors including overall well-being, public land and affordability, and climate change and inclusivity. 

Millions of surveys were scoured to assess the best urban areas in the US for well-being, before the researchers looked at house and rental prices and general walkability.

Reno was ultimately judged the best in class, undertaking massive transformations to become more inclusive and accessible, attracting major companies like Amazon and Tesla without losing sight of its local arts and crafts culture.

Reno placed above Wilmington, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Charlottesville, Hood River, Minneapolis, Glenwood Springs, Harrisburg and Plano to clinch the top spot among regions with a population between 5,000 and 500,000.

Reno, Nevada

Population: 273,448

Median house price: $550,000

Percentage parkland: 5%

Outside described Reno as a ‘modern boomtown’, bustling with green, open spaces, climbing gyms and a summer arts festival as part of a local revival. 

The outlet noted ‘ample public land and mountain vibe’ in its decision to award the city the top spot in the rankings.

With a new bike trail attracting cyclists, and nearby Lake Tahoe welcoming in skiers, the city has enough adventure for locals and tourists year-round, making it a go-to destination inclusive of all.

Wilmington, Delaware

Population: 71,569

Median house price: $255,000

Percentage parkland: 6.8%

Well-connected Wilmington neighbors Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore and Washington D.C., offering walkability and community to residents.

Delaware’s largest city is built at the meeting point of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, and has had its riverfront revitalized in recent years.

Wilmington boasts nearly 70 parks, including the 178-acre Brandywine Park and the Alapocas Run, a 415-acre space filled with hiking and biking trails.

Outside reports that the city has an inclusive local culture, with LGBTQ+ community leader Dinea Elliott Collins saying: ‘When I travel to other parts of the country, I realize how safe and comfortable I feel in Wilmington.’ 

New Orleans, Louisiana 

Population: 369,749

Median house price: $360,000

Percentage parkland: 23%

Some 80 per cent of residents in New Orleans live within a ten-minute walk of a park, making the city one of the most attractive for residents who enjoy outdoor spaces.

Culturally, the city has many attractions bringing visitors each year – from the colonial-era French Quarter to St Charles Avenue and Magazine Street’s rows of antique shops.

New Orleans remains one of the country’s most-visited cities for its deep and complex history, preserving its past in a number of significant museums.

In 2016, the city was also ranked the best in the US for live music, cocktail hour and cheap eats – but last for safety.

Outside references the city’s culture and cuisine, friendliness towards LQBTQ+ people and ‘underrated’ green spaces in awarding it third place. 

Cincinnati, Ohio   

Population: 309,513

Median house price: $272,750

Percentage parkland: 17 per cent

In the late 1800s, Cincy was dubbed the ‘Paris of America’, due to ambitious architectural projects that still line the streets of its urban center.

Developed as a river town for shipping, the city remains an industralized hub with a large economy attractive to large employers and a quaint market pavilion for merchants to sell local produce.

It also remains one of the greenest, with 88 per cent of residents living ten-minutes from a park – and a temperate climate ensuring beautiful year-round vistas to be found in the city’s 365 parks and recreation areas.

Benefitting from large-scale immigration from Germany in the 1840s, the city also benefits from a rich brewing tradition and has more than 80 organizations still making local beer – surely pushing it up the rankings for happiest places to live.

Charlottesville, Virginia

Population: 45,373

Median house price: $456,000

Percentage parkland: 10 per cent

The independent city of Charlottesville is much smaller than most of its competitors but boasts the same balance of work opportunities and scenic getaways shared by the country’s happiest.

Outside notes the city’s local University of Virginia has given Charlottesville a ‘vibrant startup culture’, with high rates of graduates and low unemployment. 

The city’s commercial district, The Corner, also provides Charlottesville with a number of college bars and restaurants, as well as a considerable nightlife scene.

Around the city, a 20-mile trail offers hikers and bikers a picturesque loop lined with places beautiful riverside spaces, and a number of breweries are ‘scattered throughout the surrounding countryside’, according to Outside.

Hood River, Oregon

Population: 8,352

Median house price: $656,750

Percentage parkland: 4

The small town of Hood River is noted for its rich outdoors activities, leading with a ‘vast network’ of trails and spaces to surf the Columbia River.

The town is only an hour east of Portland and remains connected to local hubs, but retains an independent presence and rich local food scene helped by its rural farms. 

While rents are a little higher than in other happy cities, Hood River has taken steps to build new developments for residents on lower incomes.

The city is also taking strides towards reflecting ambitions of racial and social equity in policymaking.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Population: 425,096

Median house price: $340,000

Percentage parkland: 15 per cent

Minneapolis scored 97 on Outside’s ranking for cyclists, and was this year voted number one in People for Bikes’ annual large-city ratings. 

With 180 parks, the city offers residents lush scenery joined together by an expansive network of cycle paths and trails.

The city is also noted for its investment into low-income neighborhoods and its ‘excellent’ hospitals.

Outside notes that the murder of George Floyd in 2020 ‘revealed serious problems with law enforcement’ in the city.

The police department has reportedly undergone a number of reforms in the years since.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Population: 10,264

Median house price: $726,720

Percentage parkland: 2

The resort city of Glenwood Springs placed eighth on Outside’s list of the top 15 happiest places to live in the US, credited for its hot springs and easy access to outdoor sports activities.

The town is situated in the Rocky Mountains at the meeting point of the Roaring Fork River and the Colorado River, creating stunning vistas. 

Since the 1980s, coordinated investment has transformed the town’s geography to better accommodate hikers and cyclists, building modern trails and reducing congestion in the center.

The region’s newfound popularity has, however, pushed up housing costs – which officials are looking to tackle with new affordable housing projects. 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Population: 50,183

Median house price: $176,000

Percentage parkland: 8

The Pennsylvania capital has long been a desirable destination for young families with affordable housing and vibrant cultural outlets.

In 2010, the city was ranked the second best place in the country to raise a family, after Des Moines, Iowa.

Since then, Harrisburg has attracted steady growth in the number of bars, concerts and events – in turn building a significant music and entertainment scene in recent years.

Again, the city benefits from local mountains, cycling trails and spaces to kayak for those keen on soaking up the local environment. 

Plano, Texas

Population: 289,547

Median house price: $540,000

Percentage parkland: 3

Plano, Texas, ranked tenth in Outside’s list of the happiest places to live in the US.

The city is one of the larger nominations, the 72nd most populous city in the country, and remains one of the fastest growing.

Steadily, Plano has attracted grown into a significant business hub and the headquarters of many major corporations.

Still, the city itself enjoys 85 parks and public pools – and preserves access to two nature preserves around the town, spanning some 1,000+ acres in total.

Plano now boasts a lively music and entertainment scene, a host of restaurants – and a farmers’ market. 

Anchorage, Alaska 

Population: 287,145

Median house price: $400,000

Percentage parkland: 80

Alaska’s largest city is 80 per cent parkland, despite hosting nearly 300,000 people, and spans 1,706 square miles – making it the fourth-largest by area in the United States.

Surprisingly, though, the city remains highly walkable and accessible to cyclists – relying on a trail network covering more than 500 miles. 

According to the Anchorage Park Foundation, 95 per cent of residents say the trails make the city a great place.

Others cite the wildlife and fantastic views, as well as the city’s investment in preserving and celebrating local history and languages.

Madison, Wisconsin

Population: 272,903

Median house price: $395,000

Percentage parkland: 14

Between two lakes, Madison enjoys vast landscapes and more than 280 parks, increasingly accessible as the city invests in new tracks and trails.

In winter, residents can also enjoy the city’s sports scene – including ice skating, hockey, ice fishing and cross-country skiing.

One of the most accessible cities by bike, residents can quickly zip between the city’s 18 conservation parks and a bustling city, known for its museums and galleries.

Madison is the fastest-growing city in the state, featuring a lively technology sector and exciting opportunities in health start ups.

Frederick, Maryland 

Population: 82,175

Median house price: $435,000

Percentage parkland: 7.8

Frederick is just an hour from Baltimore and Washington D.C., and is one of the more walkable cities on the list.

Nearly 90 per cent of residents live within ten minutes of a park – and sprawling public lands make the city ideal for hikers.

Frederick is home to a number of antique shops and themed events, preserving its unique culture – while continuing to invest in new arts and entertainment outlets.

Saint Petersburg, Florida

Population: 261,256

Median house price: $430,000

Percentage parkland: 14

With 244 miles of shoreline, St Petersburg is ideal for beachgoers and fishers.

As well as celebrating a number of professional sports teams, the city is also home to quieter activities, like the Salvador Dali Museum, a number of libraries and the Chihuly Collection.

Residents can enjoy the city’s breadth of historical districts, all with unique draws and cultural artefacts.

St Petersburg may not be the most walkable city on the list, but remains attractive to cyclists and rollerbladers. 

Tacoma, Washington

Population: 221,776

Median house price: $472,500

Percentage parkland: 7

Tacoma is a little smaller than St Petersburg but still enjoys 46 miles of coastline and beaches.

The city is home to 120 parks and remains fairly accessible by foot and by bike, connecting large forests and outdoor spaces with the cultural hubs in the city.

Nearby, Tacoma also has access to Mount Rainier – and is only 90 minutes from the slopes at Crystal Mountain.

Cleaning up Commencement Bay and the Dune Peninsula in recent years have opened up the city’s natural spaces for visitors to enjoy. 

More than seven in 10 Americans believe the Biden administration is withholding information about UFOs, a DailyMail.com poll has revealed.

And nearly four in 10 think that Earth has been visited by aliens from another planet in the past fifty years, according to the survey. 

We put several UFO-themed questions to 1,000 voters following a series of unprecedented Congressional hearings and a NASA investigation into unidentified craft flying in our skies.

More than four in 10 respondents said they would feel safer if Donald Trump were President of the US if aliens were to invade Earth, while a third said they would feel safer under Joe Biden. The rest were unsure.

J.L Partners conducted the poll from September 15 through 20, asking questions to Americans by phone, text and in its dedicated app.

Participants ranged in age from 18 to over 65. Scarlett Maguire, Director at JLP, said: ‘Biden’s approval rating isn’t the only thing that has fallen to Earth recently. 

‘Only four in 10 Americans believe recent reports of UFOs are human in origin, and just one in four rule out extra-terrestrials having visited in the last 50 years. 

‘And, perhaps unsurprisingly, for a demographic that embraces astrology, 18-29-year-old women are one of the groups most likely to think we have already had a close encounter of the third kind.’

‘As with crime and the economy, the public’s trust in the Biden administration’s handling of UFOs doesn’t survive first contact. 

‘Even Democrats don’t believe they have been told everything about UFOs. And when Mars attacks, there is only one man in town to save the day: more Americans – including independents – would choose Trump over Biden to defend them.’

When asked about the recent strange sightings by US Navy pilots, a total of 27 percent said they were ‘probably alien in origin.’

A 41 percent majority said the strange flying objects were of human origin, and 32 percent said they did not know.

However, males, Black voters, non-graduates and Republicans were among the highest groups to believe the sightings were extraterrestrial in origin.

The poll revealed that more Americans than not believe the Biden Administration is withholding information about UFOs. 

More than 66 percent of Republicans answered ‘definitely’, compared to just 22 percent of Democrats.

DailyMail.com also asked respondents if aliens attacked Earth, who do they think we would be safer under, Joe Biden or Donald Trump.

Forty-three percent voted for Trump, 32 percent said Biden and 25 percent gave ‘don’t know’ as their answer. 

Every age, race, education level and political party chose Trump. 

Trump appeared on the ‘Hugh Hewitt’ podcast this month, where he said he was briefed on UFOs during his presidency. 

The former president explained how he spoke with ‘a couple of people from the Air Force’ who experienced strange objects in the sky.

When asked if he believes in them, Trump responded: ‘I have, I always have an open mind.’

Biden has steered clear of the topic in interviews.

In 2021, the president was asked about Barak Obama’s statements that there is footage and records of objects in the sky — these unidentified aerial phenomena – but said he does not know what they are.

Biden responded: ‘I would ask him again.’

However, earlier this year, he announced an interagency group to look into unidentified objects in US airspace.

White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby, who briefed reporters in February, announced the formation of the inquiry team. 

‘The president, through his national security adviser, has today directed an interagency team to study the broader policy implications for detection, analysis and disposition of unidentified aerial objects that pose either safety or security risks,’ Kirby said.

He explained that the team will include ‘every element’ of the government and stressed its formation was intended to ‘redouble’ the United States’ efforts to understand and, hopefully, prevent incidents with what he described as ‘high-altitude, low-speed craft.’

A tranche of UFO videos, including some never-before-seen, were quietly released by the US Customs and Border Protection, the agency responsible for keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the country.

The agency uploaded 10 videos showing craft moving strangely in our skies.

The videos were released on August 9 without warning, a press release or much in the way of context, only to be discovered by UFO enthusiasts and online investigators last week.

The videos document a fighter jet pursued by a baffling flying orb, as well as something that appears to be a propeller-powered hang-glider and yet another apparent floating orb, hovering this time near a parked 16-wheeler truck.

But the enigmatic nature of the drop — which offered little detail regarding the times and locations of these sightings, plus more than a few sweeping redactions — has left more questions than answers.

Former President Donald Trump it would be worth facing potential jail time in order to ‘Make America Great Again’ by winning the 2024 election – and also insisted that President Biden can no longer talk.

The former president, 77, sat down with Kelly for a SiriusXM interview aired on Thursday that saw him sharing insight into many of the issues he faces ahead of the 2024 election. 

Kelly said the former president’s indictments in four separate cases were ‘very scary’ for him due to ‘left-wing judges’ and ‘left-wing juries’ and asked him if he could see himself going to prison.

‘I have a great attitude, it doesn’t affect me at all because I’m fighting for the country, I’m fighting for the people,’ before talking about how good his poll numbers were and that ‘the people know it’s all fake.’

He ultimately said, however, it was worth facing both the indictments and jail time in order to ‘Make America Great Again,’ arguing that ‘our country’s going to hell.’ 

‘Our country’s going to hell. Our country’s going to down. The country, I believe, has one last chance, this is the most important election we’ve ever had.’ 

The former president also was melancholy about the notion he might never visit his many famous properties across the globe, citing his golf club in Scotland.

‘Would I like to be at Turnberry in Scotland right now or the many places I have… I may never see those places again. But I think this is very important. I think we’re gonna win the election.’ 

Trump was last indicted in Georgia for his alleged roles in trying to overturn the 2020 election, with prosecutors using statutes normally seen in mob trials and accusing the former president of being head of ‘a criminal organization’. 

He is facing three other criminal cases: one, on federal charges relating to election interference; another federal case related to the mishandling of classified documents, and one in New York federal court for alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniel. 

Trump then pivoted to President Biden, whom he said ‘can’t talk’ when asked by Kelly if he thinks Biden will go the distance to 2024.

‘I can’t imagine,’ Trump said. ‘I saw him yesterday, he can’t put two sentences together. It’s not an age thing, it’s a competence thing. He can’t talk!’

Trump also cited a Washington Post op-ed written Wednesday where David Ignatius wrote with a headline: ‘President Biden should not run again in 2024.’

‘He has to debate, I guess. I hope he’s gonna debate, I guess. The people want a smart president.’

Trump also noted he ‘doesn’t see’ himself debating any of his Republican Primary opponents, suggesting he didn’t want to debate someone he was ‘like 60 points ahead’ of.

Kelly even begged him to do one just before the Iowa caucuses, with Trump saying no.

Elsewhere in the interview, Trump said while he thinks Joe Biden is ‘grossly incompetent,’ he does not feel he is too old to be president.

With just three years separating the two 2024 frontrunners, many are concerned over the increasing age of presidential candidates – as well as other leaders in Congress.

Polling shows that more than three-fourths of Americans feel that Biden, 80, is too old to serve another four years in office.

But Trump, 77, told Megyn Kelly that age isn’t the issue.

‘I have many friends that are in their 80s. I have friends… that are in their 90s and they’re sharp as a tack. Just, I mean I would say, just about what they used to be. No, not old. He’s incompetent,’ Trump said of Biden.

If Biden was reelected he would break his own record for being the oldest-ever inaugurated U.S. president at 82 years old.

Trump is the second-oldest president following Biden. He was inaugurated at the age of 70. He beat former President Ronald Reagan by just about a year.

‘Age is interesting, because some people are very sharp and some people do lose it, but you lose it at 40 and 50 also,’ Trump told Kelly. ‘But no, he’s not too old at all. He’s grossly incompetent.

‘You look at some of the great world leaders, they were in their 80s and they did— I mean, Churchill, so many people. They were phenomenal in their 80s. You know, there’s a great wisdom if you’re not in a position like him, but if you go back 25 years, he wasn’t the sharpest tack either.

He also shared insight into both Melania and his youngest son Barron, 17.

‘I think part of the beauty is that mystery,’ Trump said when asked what people misunderstand about his wife of more than 20 years, before comparing her with Hollywood legend Greta Garbo.

‘She was a great actress, But she was very reclusive, never did an interview. I don’t see Melania as like that, but she’s introspective, and she’s confident… She doesn’t need to be out there [to get interviewed],’ he explained.

‘She has confidence. She has a lot of self confidence.’

Trump also gave an update on Barron, saying the teen is doing ‘really well’ and is a ‘very good athlete.’ 

‘Barron’s very tall – about six eight. And, and he’s a good kid. He’s a good looking kid. He’s a great student, very good student…we’re thinking about [college] right now,’ he added. 

It was a productive conversation for Trump and Kelly, who have a notoriously rocky history.

Trump claimed she had ‘blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever’ during the the August 2015 primary debate she moderated. 

But it seems the feud is now water under the bridge as Kelly released Thursday morning clips of her sit-down interview with Trump. 

Kelly had expressed her enthusiasm, assuring viewers that the interview would be nothing short of captivating. 

‘I’m really looking forward to this,’ she said in the video. ‘It’s going to be great, it’s going to be spicy, and it’s going to be tough, but it’s going to be good and hopefully, we’re both going to enjoy it.’ 

America has already set a record for ‘billion-dollar’ disasters in a given year – even with three months to go and the peak of hurricane season still remaining. 

According to NOAA, which has been tracking billion-dollar weather disasters in the US since 1980 and adjusting costs for inflation, this year’s storms have already cost more than $57.6billion and claimed at least 253 lives.

The disasters include the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Idalia in Florida and flooding in the Northeast. 

There have been 23 billion-dollar storms this year, beating the previous record of 22 in 2020, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA applied climatologist Adam Smith, who tracks the billion-dollar weather events, said Monday he does ‘not expect things to slow down anytime soon.’

‘We’re seeing the fingerprints of climate change all over our nation,’ he said. 

The organization listed an August 11 Minnesota hailstorm and severe storms in early August and mid-July across the Midwest and parts of the South among the 23 costly weather events.

The organization has not yet taken into account the damage brought on by Tropical Storm Hilary, which walloped California along the coast, as well as parts of Nevada and Washington.

Droughts in the South and Midwest have also yet to be added to the count, as costs are still being totaled.

Each of the weather events listed have cost at least $1billion in damage.  

Smith said the shockingly high number of costly weather events is both due to a rise in the number of disasters, and because more areas are being built in risk-prone locations.

‘Exposure plus vulnerability plus climate change is supercharging more of these into billion-dollar disasters,’ Smith said.

‘This year, a lot of the action has been across the center states, north central, south and southeastern states.’

He added he thought the record established in 2020 would last for many years because the 22 billion-dollar disasters that year far surpassed the previous record of 16.

After this year’s partial results, however, he no longer believes new records will hold for very long. 

Weather experts say the country needs to become more adaptable to weather events, because there are only more each year.

‘The climate has already changed and neither the built environment nor the response systems are keeping up with the change,’ Former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Craig Fugate said.

University of Arizona climate scientist Katharine Jacobs said ‘adding more energy to the atmosphere and the oceans will increase intensity and frequency of extreme events.’

‘Many of this year’s events are very unusual and in some cases unprecedented.’ 

Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field called the rise of billion-dollar disasters ‘very troubling.’

‘But there are things we can do to reverse the trend,’ he added. ‘If we want to reduce the damages from severe weather, we need to accelerate progress on both stopping climate change and building resilience.’ 

Covid masks are creeping back into American life again with hospitals, Hollywood studios and colleges mandating their use — and there are rumors they could return on planes.

Rutgers University in New Jersey today announced face coverings will be compulsory for staff and students on its campuses, following a similar announcement by Morris Brown College in Atlanta earlier this week.

Meanwhile, a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Santa Rosa, California, and Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse, New York, which together serve millions of Americans, have both brought back the rule for doctors, nurses, patients and visitors.

It comes after Lionsgate, the Hollywood studio that makes the Saw and the Hunger Games movies, reimposed face masks in its offices in Santa Monica, California.

The reintroduction of masks is a reaction to growing concern over Covid variants BA.2.86 — which health chiefs say can infect vaccinated people — and fast-spreading strain ‘Eris’. Covid cases also appear to have doubled in a month in the US.

Meanwhile, there have been reports the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is considering reintroducing face masks on planes.

The rumors appear to have been started by disgraced conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, but they have made their way into the upper echelons of government.

Earlier this week Republican Congresswoman Anna Luna, from Florida, said she had written to the TSA to ask for clarification.

Ms Luna said: ‘My office will be reaching out to TSA to see what policy their whistleblowers are discussing.’

She added: ‘This will not be allowed to happen again. We have an appropriations fight coming up.’

A TSA spokeswoman told DailyMail.com: ‘That is not accurate. The rumors are false.’

They added the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the lead federal agency on masking requirements and no TSA meeting about imposing new restrictions had taken place. 

Some experts have raised concerns, however, over whether face masks are needed again.

Experts argue virtually everyone now has a level of immunity against the virus, adding there is no sign the new variants are more likely to cause severe disease. 

Doctors say although they are seeing more patients, these individuals have much milder forms of the virus compared to earlier in the pandemic.

Announcing the return of face masks at its wards in Santa Rosa, Kaiser Permanente said in a statement: ‘To ensure that we are helping protect the health and safety of our patients, our workforce and our community, we have reintroduced a mask mandate for physicians, staff, patients, members, and visitors in the hospital and medical offices in the Santa Rosa Service Area.’

The health system — which serves 12.7million people per year — also urged everyone to get vaccinated against the virus. 

Upstate said in a memo sent to staff: ‘Effective immediately, mandatory masking is required by all staff, visitors and patients in clinical areas of Upstate University Hospital, Upstate Community Hospital and ambulatory clinical spaces.

‘Clinical areas are defined as any location patients gather, wait, transport through or receive care.’

From yesterday, the New York-based health system that serves 1.8million people a year also started testing all patients admitted to its wards for the virus. 

It added, reports syracuse.com: ‘Masking is strongly recommended in all non-clinical areas.’

The hospital dropped its masking requirements in April across departments and visitor areas.

Dr Stephen Thomas, the hospital’s director of global health, said: ‘We are nowhere near where we were at our busiest point, but we do have more patients now than we did a month ago.

‘Fortunately, we are well within our capacity to care for all of our patients.’

Amid concerns over rising Covid cases and more transmissible variants, there have been mounting calls for people to start wearing masks again.

But several studies have raised questions over how well some masks really work, pointing out that Covid is still able to permeate through the coverings.

Many people also wear masks incorrectly, not covering both their mouth and nose, or wear them for only short periods rather then when seated in busy locations like bars and restaurants where the risk of infection is higher.

Among those calling for masks to return is Dr Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist in Washington DC, who told CNN Tuesday all those at high risk from a Covid infection — such as people over 65 years old — should start to mask up again.

He said 80-year-old President Joe Biden should also don a covering on the campaign trail or when in crowds, such as those in Hawaii. 

‘Octogenerians comprise the highest-risk group for complications following Covid infection,’ he said.

‘At least until the numbers start to drop again, it would be appropriate for President Biden to take some precautions and wear a mask in crowds.’

Dr Eric Topol, also a cardiologist at the Scripps Translational Research Institute in California, said people should again be masking up in crowded places.

He told CNN: ‘Indoors when there’s a lot of people and it’s crowded, poor ventilation.

‘I’m still leery at this point, especially with the uptick we’re starting to see now, which I don’t know when it will plateau.’

Surveillance shows Covid infections in the US have nearly doubled in the past month amid the rise of two highly-mutated variants, official data suggests.

The test positivity rate in the US — the share of swabs that come back positive — has soared from one-in-15 in the week ending July 15 to one-in-eight by August 12, according to the latest CDC data.

It means test positivity is at its highest level in more than a year. In several states, including Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, one in six Covid swabs came back positive in the most recent week.

Hospitalization rates for Covid have also crept up for five weeks in a row — although they still remain at historic rows.

There were 12,613 admissions in which the patient tested positive for Covid in the week up to August 12, marking the fifth week in a row hospitalizations for the virus had risen and an increase of a fifth on the week prior. 

But this was still barely a third of the levels recorded at the same time last year, when there were about 40,000 admissions every week.

Deaths remain static with 479 reported in the latest week data is available, July 22, compared to 484 in the previous seven-day spell.

There are particular concerns over the new Covid variant BA.2.86, which scientists say could spark a fresh wave of infections.

BA.2.86 has more than 30 mutations on its spike protein — the part the virus uses to infect people — that separate it from the currently dominant strains, which is feared make it better at escaping the immune system.

The mutant strain set off alarm bells when it was spotted last week, immediately prompting calls from some quarters for masks to return.

Other experts said its emergence was ‘reminiscent’ of when Omicron first appeared, pointing out that this strain was also quite genetically different compared to the others that were circulating at the time.

There are at least three cases in the US so far, one in an individual with a mild illness in Michigan and a second in an asymptomatic individual who recently returned from a trip to Japan. The strain has also been detected in wastewater from Ohio.

Experts fear this is just the tIp of the iceberg and many more cases are going undetected because so few infections are checked for variants. 

Three cases were initially reported — two in Denmark and one in Israel — but this tally has now grown to at least nine with the US, UK, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand added to the list.

There are also concerns over the Covid variant ‘Eris’ — dubbed EG.5 — which is currently dominant in the US.

Experts say its mutations mean the strain is also more transmissible than others although, at this point, it is not clear whether it is more transmissible than BA.2.86.

There is no evidence at this stage that either strain is more likely to cause severe disease or death. 

The lower-middle class in America today is in worse health and has fewer savings when they enter retirement compared to 20 years ago.

This ‘forgotten’ class has a lower life expectancy, is expected to suffer from chronic illnesses and have less overall wealth when compared to the previous generation of Americans who had a similar income in the 1990s.

Americans who fall into the lower-middle class category are often overlooked because they earn too much money to qualify for state or federal assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps or housing vouchers, but they earn too little to adequately have the resources to cover the increasing costs of healthcare and housing.

In a study released Wednesday, researchers analyzed the health and economic well-being of select cohorts of middle-aged Americans between 1994 and 2018. They gathered data from the National Institute on Aging-sponsored Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of American households with at least one adult aged 51 or older.

Survey participants spanned multiple races and consisted of men and women aged 53 to 58 years old across the US.

‘The public conversation about inequality tends to focus on the challenges faced by only the most vulnerable populations,’ said Bryan Tysinger, co-author of the study and director of health policy simulation at the USC Schaeffer Center. 

‘But our models found that there has been an important divergence in the middle of the economic distribution’. 

While there are no hard boundaries for what defines the middle class, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates it as people who make between approximately $38,000 and $114,400 per year. 

For the study, the individual earnings among people researchers deemed lower-middle class was $31,110 and the average for those deemed upper-middle class was $57,233 over the 24 years measured.

The study found the healthy life expectancy of people 60 years old increased by five percent over the 24 years observed to approximately 84 years old for women and 78 years old for men. 

Healthy life expectancy remained mostly unchanged for people in the lower economic class over the study time period, with an expected life expectancy of 78 years old for women and 75 years old for men.

Researches also said the health status of people at 50 years old worsened for both the upper – and lower-middle classes, but the rate it has deteriorated has been faster for those in the lower class. 

While about one-fifth of higher-earners smoked in 1994, that number was slashed in half by 2018. Among lower-earners, approximately one-third smoked in 1994, a number that was virtually unchanged in 2018. 

People reporting chronic pain increased in both cohorts, but increased at a faster rate among lower earners. 

One area with the reverse trend was obesity. Overall, more men and women across both economic classes were obese in 2018 than in 1994.

However, the percentage of higher-earning men was higher in 2018 than lower-earning men and increased at a faster rate. In 2018, the percentages of obese men in the upper-middle class (about half) surpassed that of obese men in the lower-middle class (about one-third). 

Among women, obesity increased at nearly the same rate in both classes. 

‘Our findings suggest that today’s lower-middle class will spend a larger proportion of their older life with poor health’, said Jack Chapel, the study’s lead author. 

‘For example, an average 60-year-old woman in the lower-middle in 2018 will reach age 84. We project that almost 40 percent of her remaining years will be lived with a disability – an increase since 1994’.

Not only has the life expectancy and health gap between the classes widened, but the wealth chasm has grown as well. From 1994 to 2018, the combined financial value at 60 years old of people in the upper-middle class grew by 13 percent. In the lower-middle class, wealth barely grew, increasing just three percent. 

Additionally, homeownership, and the wealth that comes with it, drastically dropped for the lower-middle class between 1994 and 2018. While the homeownership rate in 1994 was approximately 10 percent lower than the upper-middle class, the gap tripled by 2018. 

‘Our study projects lower-middle Americans will spend a longer proportion of remaining life with significant healthcare needs, but with no more economic resources to attend to those needs than similar cohorts had 20 years earlier’, said Dana Goldman, co-author of the study and dean of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. 

Sofia Vergara returned to America’s Got Talent in the first episode of the Live performances… the first time she was at the judges table since her split with Joe Manganiello… which Howie Mandel poked some fun at.

All of the auditions were taped well in advance of her split, though Tuesday’s first live performance episode featured a joke from Howie Mandel, that Vergara took in stride.

Manganiello, 46, filed for divorce from Vergara, 51, in late July, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ while there were numerous claims that he wanted children and she didn’t.

While the split wasn’t discussed in detail during the episode, Mandel was discussing a performance by 12-year-old magician and ventriloquist Brynn Cummings – where she tried to find a new mate for her rabbit puppet in the performance – when he cracked a joke.

‘If I have one word of advice, if you’re looking for eligible bachelors, you should have talked to Sofia because she’s in the market right now,’ referring to her recent split with Joe Manganiello.

For her part, Sofia took the joke in stride, raising her arms and screaming, ‘Yes’ with a laugh, as Terry said, ‘No we’re not doing that here.’

First up was True Villains, a rock band from Nashville who are always competing with country artists in their town.

They were singing one of their own original songs, with the group admitting before the performance, ‘It’s a big risk to bring an original. We’re trying to be an original band, not a cover band.’

Their original hard rock song called Dead to Me got raucous applause from the crowd.

Howie admitted, ‘You know, truly this is my favorite kind of music it’s my favorite kind of music it’s not that popular today. I thought you made a good choice on the audition to cover something. America is going to choose only two can go through. It’s a gamble to do the I love the original. Your voice is like the most original voice it’s like the best rock concert coming from a helium factory

Heidi added, ‘I loved it it brings me back to my 20s. We were listening to this music in my 20s, like Axel Rose. The band was super tight, two thumbs up.

Sofia added, ‘I love you guys. I love you more than the audition it’s amazing I’m so happy you guys brought this energy. We need it to start like this tonight. It’s up to America I think they’re going to love you.’

Simon added, ‘I loved your audition because you did something really different with a song we know really well. There’s no question you can play really well. You can sing really well,’ before admitting, ‘I hated the song, I did,’ causing the crowd to boo.

Next up is 10-year-old dancer Lambros Garcia, who performed a dance routine to Todrick Hall’s Vogue Zone.

He said in a video package, ‘I wanted to do this song because it has a good beat to it and it brings so much energy and that’s what I want to show. I want to show me. My big dream is to perform on Broadway this is my chance, but only two people this round are going to make it to the finals. I feel nervous, but I’m just going to bring Lambros 2.0.’

Heidi revealed after the performance, ‘I love you and I love everything about you. I love mostly that you do you and you don’t care about what anyone says. You don’t look back. You do you and you are perfect.’

Sofia added, ‘Lambros, I love who you have become. You’re so confident tonight. You were amazing my favorite part of your show is how happy you are when you’re doing it.’

Simon added, ‘You know what I loved, Lambros, was hearing you before you started about the reaction you had in school. You had a problem with bullies, didn’t you?

Lambros confirmed that he did, though he added that the bullies have, ‘totally’ gone away after his AGT audition.

Simon added, ‘We all loved you because you define the word personality.’

Howie added, ‘You know, Lambros, more than what you do, you’re the same little boy who was bullied and had this tough time. Then you showed the world who you are. This is not Lambros 2.0. You changed the world. It’s the world 2.0.’

Host Terry Crews asked, ‘Lambros, what advice do you have for other boys who love to dance?’

Lambros said, ‘As I stated in my first audition, not a lot of people respected who I am however, we cannot let other people break our dreams. Dreams do come true, right?’

Next up is Mitchell Mossell, who, like True Villains, opted to sing an original song, following another original he sang at his audition, which Howie predicted would go to number 1 on the country charts the next day.

Mitchell revealed Howie’s prediction was true, though it also went to #1 on four other genres as well.

His new song – entitled All I Need To See – went over well with the judges, as Sofia told him, ‘Mitch, you sing with such emotion it was such a catchy, romantic song I love you guys. I love country music I think you’re the perfect talent that America’s going to fall in love with.’

Simon added, ‘Howie got it right when he said I think this song will go to number one. That audition was a brilliant audition I saw you watching the film and getting emotional watching you with your family and, you know, the first part of the song you were almost choking up until you hit the first chorus let me tell you, you are the real deal. I really, really, really hope this works out for you. You are super talented, such a nice person, great band — sorry I don’t know your names, but everyone was amazing.’

Howie added, ‘I’m going to make my second prediction. This is also number one tomorrow at least on the country chart. You, for me, are the best act so far tonight. I think you are the act to beat, one of the two going through America, make me right.’

Heidi added, ‘You’re radio ready. Your songs are great. You have an amazing family. I wish you all the best.’

Terry asked Mitch how he thinks tonight’s song will do on the charts tomorrow, as he responded, ‘Oh, man, I’m hoping for the same results. That would be amazing.’

Next up is Oleksandr Leshchenko and Magic Innovations, who performed a storytelling illusion about his native Ukraine, which earned much applause, though Simon wasn’t entirely impressed.

‘I loved, loved your first audition I thought visually that was unbelievable. However, I thought the music almost ruined it. It needed a great, great, great song,’ Simon says, as Heidi argued, ‘It was dramatic though.

Simon countered, ‘It was just corny, the music. It wasn’t as good as it should have been in my opinion.’

Howie did not share the same opinion, adding, ‘I was at a different show tonight you are above and beyond anything we know the dancing, the story telling, the visual, the sounds, you check every box. You are doing so much more than most people and most groups that come on the stage. You just set a bar.’

Heidi was asked which of the men she agreed with and she said she agreed with Howie, adding, ‘I think you’re a great story teller I want to thank you and coming and telling your magic on the stage. You piled a whole lot of stuff into two minutes well done.’

Sofia loved the performance as well, adding, ‘ Sofia: That was such a highly technical performance. I can’t imagine how much it took you to nail every second of it. It was amazing you took it to another level today from the day of the audition.’

Next up is Adrian Stoica from Turin, Italy, with his adorable dog Hurricane, who, unlike most dog acts, don’t use any treats as a form of motivation.

‘When we perform, Hurricane goes rogue. She likes to improvise anything can happen. I do my best to support her. If something goes wrong, it’s not her. It’s me. Hurricane would love Las Vegas she’s ready to show she’s the best dog in the world,’ he said.

Howie added, ‘I was on my feet and then I sat down and I was on my feet it shows you how tough it is we didn’t know whether to stand or sit he’s a dog he gets more cues than we do it’s my favorite dog act ever on AGT.’

Heidi made a timely joke about Hurricane Hilary making landfall near Los Angeles, adding, ‘I love it. This is the type of hurricane we like in Hollywood.’

‘And it is mind blowing to me how you do this routine with him you don’t give him treats. He knows this entire routine it’s mind blowing, amazing,’ she added.

Sofia added, ‘That was perfection. I love the relationship you two have I love she’s having so much fun, the humor, the story I think hurricane is ready for Vegas!’

Simon said, ‘Honestly, I think this is — in terms of stepping up from the audition to the live show, this is the best act we’ve seen tonight it was amazing like I said at the start, this is live. That was a tricky routine,” asking if Hurricane was a he or she, as he confirmed Hurricane is a she.

Next up was the 26-member choir Sainted, lead by DJ Fannie and Dennis, who took to the stage in pink ensembles, singing a medley of hits like Nelly’s Hot In Here, Mark Morrison’s Return of the Mack.

Heidi revealed, ‘That was so much fun,’ while Sofia said, ‘You guys lifted the room up, that was amazing.’

Heidi added, ‘Every single one of you is bringing excellence to the stage,’ while Simon said, ‘It was like seeing 30 brilliant solo artists all together. It was so clever, cool, current, a step up. This must have taken a lot of prep this was what we were looking for. Brilliant.’

Next up was 12-year-old Michigan girl Brynn Cummings, who mixed magic and ventriloquism in her audition.

‘I just want to be my own self. I’m doing something for lives I’ve never done before and hopefully the reveal is crazy. I’m also adding audience elements, judge elements, comedic elements, props. I’m used to small theaters this is my biggest performance ever the fact it’s also live, it’s, like, whoa,’ Brynn said.

Instead of combining magic and ventriloquism, this time she combined ventriloquism with mentalism, with the help of Heidi.

She enlisted Heidi to help her puppet – who just suffered a breakup – find a new mate, enlisting her to pick a new mate based on brief descriptions, with Brynn revealing a photo of the mate after.

Heidi skipped over a ‘Lamborghini collector,’ a ‘beach lover,’ and a ‘poetry writer,’ before picking, ‘a world traveler.’

‘Oh, my gosh he’s a love bird now, Heidi could have picked a duck or a platypus, but no, she picked the bird. Now we’re going to meet him. I’m a magician remember out of all the dozens of options that Heidi could have picked, I knew she would pick the bird and now I’ll make him appear,’ Brynn said, before using her free hand to reveal the new puppet.

‘Love is like magic. Tonight the audience will contribute to that magic I promised to create a connection with the audience everybody, please hold up your papers and show America that love connection,’ Brynn said, as several audience members held up individual photos that revealed an image of the two lovebirds.

Heidi added, ‘I think we did a fantastic job, particularly you. I wish you luck,’ while Sofia said, ‘That was amazing it’s so unique we’ve seen so many ventriloquists. To see you doing the mentalism, it’s great to see the two things, the magic and the ventriloquism.’

Simon added, ‘I didn’t have a clue what’s going on. You have to remember what you do ventriloquism. You do it brilliantly.’

Next up was 59-year-old Bournemouth, England music teacher John Wines, who said his audition was, ‘scary, but also exhilarating.’

He said his students’ reaction to his performance was, ‘madness,’ adding, ‘you walk into a class and they just start clapping. I can’t get over I’m doing this. I’m a teacher.

He started with an opening of the rendition of America’s National Anthem before moving into a hard rock version of Black Eyed Peas’ Pump It Harder… though Simon surprised everyone by giving him a buzzer.

After the performance, Howie said the performance was like watching, ‘old man Halen,’ joking that, ‘With the girls coming out, that’s a great Viagra commercial the way you were able to keep that up the entire time. I loved it.’

Terry asked Simon why he used his buzzer, and he replied, ‘I just thought the whole thing — I don’t know what it was. It just felt strange. You’re very talented.’

Heidi joked, ‘Simon, didn’t you think it was in-shred-ible? I love it even more. I love your outfit. You went in front of the mirror and said, yes, this is how I’m going to lives I love it. You can shred it like no one can.’

Next up is Manhattan comedienne Maureen Langan, who opened up about her preparations for the show.

‘The way I prepare for the lives is just going out and doing three, four sets and keep doing it it’s intense it’s nerve wracking to go live in front of millions of people do I want to throw up in the corner maybe. I want to bring the same energy I brought before I want to show them I’m consistent this is the biggest performance of my life I’ve been plugging away for 20 years. I feel great,’ she said before the performance.

She told jokes about crocheting and menopause before joking she had gay ex-husband… adding, ‘Well, he was a golfer, it’s the same thing.’

She closed with a joke about her gynocologist telling her to ‘go to your special place,’ as she joked, ‘Well you’re so close, why don’t you go there.’

Her routine brought the crowd to their feet, as Sofia added, ‘Maureen, you can tell that you have been practicing and going out there. You feel so confident. You feel like you’re having fun. I can relate to all your jokes I love you,’ as Maureen joked, ‘If I could look like you, it would help me get through it.’

Simon said he thought it was, ‘good’ but he didn’t, ‘love the audition’ and he didn’t hear the one big moment where a joke really landed.

Howie disagreed, adding, ‘You said you wanted to be professional, consistent. You showed us you’re professional and consistent. This is a big family show. I’ve been married for a long time I think you did land big jokes for women out there that kind of understand and relate. Your closing joke for me was your special place, which is also my special place too.’

Next up is Ray Wold, who couldn’t find an assistant for his audition, so he turned to his 85-year-old mother, with the audition racking up 165 million views, the second highest total this season.

The routine involved Ray setting himself and his mother on fire and setting other things on fire on stage, with Ray’s mother even sliding herself through a flaming hoop… but Howie buzzed the act.

The finale involved Ray being submerged in a tank of water that was set on fire, as he was submerged for many seconds before emerging unscathed.

Heid joked, ‘What do I think? What do I not think? I mean, this act really flamed to please. All kidding aside, it was lit.’

Sofia added, ‘I don’t know what happened during the audition and I don’t know what just happened today. It’s the craziest pairing I’ve ever seen in my life it’s also very, very inspirational. I want to be you guys with my son in the future.’

Terry asked Howie how he could buzz the act, as Howie explained, ‘Because I love my mom and if you love your mom, you don’t set her on fire, even the safety guy has a helmet and visor. His mom has a straw hat and flame thrower. It’s just wrong.’

Simon, though, ‘thought it was beautiful. You know what, where else are you going to see a mum setting her son on fire? I’ve never seen this before. That’s why I love this act. I love you, both of you. It’s fantastic.’

The final act was Heidi’s golden buzzer, Lavender Darcangelo, a blind autistic singer from Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

She said in the video package before her performance, ‘Growing up people often put me in a box because of my disability who I am.’

‘The golden buzzer made me feel like the world is seeing me now. It was just so emotional for me,’ she added.

She decided to sing the 1984 Foreigner hit song I Want To Know What Love Is, adding before the performance, ‘I chose it because being on America’s Got Talent brought me so much confidence. This song definitely challenges my vocal range I know it’s a challenging song I start with the heart and the vocal choices will follow.’

Her powerful performance of the Foreigner hit brought both the judges and the crowd to its feet, with Heidi expressing how proud she was of her after the performance.

‘I am so proud of you I love you, Lavender I feel you when you are singing. I feel you. I hope everyone in this room does. I hope everybody at home felt you. I hope everyone will vote for you so we can go to the next round together please vote, America.’

Simon added, ‘It’s the most amazing feeling when a contestant who everyone loves nails it, and you can feel it behind you I got to tell you, the second half of that song, the way you sang it, the whole song, the lyric took on a completely different meaning for me it was beautiful.’

America’s Got Talent returns Wednesday night at 8 PM with the results of America’s voting on tonight’s performances, plus an AGT ‘super performance’ with five previous winners – Aidan Bryant, Pack Drumline, Human Fountains, Light Balance and Kodi Lee.

Tens of thousands of wild horses face mass slaughter after mustangs breed too fast on the great plains

• Iconic horse of the American west threatens natural ecosystems
• Around 37, 000 mustangs roam the US ranges over ten states
• Another 50,000 held in temporary pastures 
  
• Officials say populations have hit a ‘critical mass’

By James Black

Published: 09:01 EDT, 28 December 2012 | Updated: 10:43 EDT, 28 December 2012

They are an icon of the American West and a symbol of the country’s frontier history, but now hundreds of mustang horses face slaughter due to overpopulation.

Under existing laws the government pays ranchers to take in thousands of these ‘wild’ horses a year in order to keep population numbers down. Mustangs are not an indigenous species to America and are known to have an adverse affect on natural ecosystems. 

The current system of managing these threats has been in place since 1971 but now rising feed costs has resulted in a growing number of American ranchers refusing to take on mustangs. 

Officials have warned that the government’s own holding pastures and short-term corrals are themselves reaching over capacity.

The result could mean that thousands of this treasured breed will be slaughtered in order to contain overpopulation.

Across ten western states in the US an estimated 37,000 wild horses and feral donkeys roam the ranges.

Officials say this is 11,000 more than the manageable population, and it is expected that figures will double every four years.

There are around 50,000 wild horses and donkeys currently held in temporary pastures, three times the amount held a decade ago.

Despite the crisis in overpopulation, and the known effects of wild hoses on natural habitats of other native animals, activists continue to battle with the government over its management of mustangs in particular.

To thin the populations of wild herds helicopters are used to chase mustangs into traps. Some campaigners think this is cruel and damaging to a species they think America should be protecting.

Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign said that pregnant mares and foals are stampeded by helicopters over miles of rugged terrain. 

‘Helicopter’s aren’t discerning,’ she said. ‘They stampede the very old and the very young with the fit.’

Authorities have been accused of managing mustangs into extinction. However, only 99 out of the 11,000 gathered from the plains last year died. That’s less than 1%. 

Officials are now beginning to recognise that slaughter might be the only solution to contain the population.

Ms Roy denies this and she questions the wisdom surrounding the belief that America’s land cannot support mustang populations.

She claims that the legislation is weighted heavily in favour of the ranchers who need the land freed up for cattle. 

The problem could be better addressed through contraceptive measures using fertility drugs.

Tom Gorey, of the Bureau of Land Management, denied that this would provide an adequate alternative.

He said: ‘Logistically, [contraception] is very hard. It has not been demonstrated to be a magical solution.’

The US Congress has recognised the mustang as ‘ a living symbol of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.’

The first Mustangs descended from Iberian horses brought to Mexico and Florida from Spain during the settlement of North America.

Most of these horses were of Andalusian, Arabian and Barb ancestry and were domesticated animals tamed for human use. 

This has led to a dispute over whterh it is entirely accurate to call the mustang ‘wild’ since it is the descendent of a domestic breed which is not native to the natural habitat.

Native Americans quickly adopted the horse as a primary means of transportation. They were also used in battles, trade, and hunts, particularly bison hunts.

Some environmentalist claim that the mustang should be classed as indigenous because there is evidence that horses roamed North America in per-historic times.

More than half of all Mustangs in North America are found in Nevada , with other significant populations in Montana, Wyoming and Oregon.

The government says that the total manageable population in the wild should be 26,000 a figure that is significantly lower than the reality.

‘We are reaching a critical mass,’ Tom Gorey added. ‘And we don’t see any instant solution.’

 

Roam American and European cities of yesteryear, courtesy of this beautiful new photobook. 

Eyes on the City, published by DelMonico Books, showcases more than 100 images by legendary photographer Evelyn Hofer.

These time-capsule photos show urban landscapes and people going about their daily lives in the postwar era – the 1950s and 1960s. 

The German photographer, who died in 2009 at the age of 87, shot subjects that included London truck drivers, Irish gravediggers and New York commuters in a striking fashion. 

DelMonico Books says: ‘The photographs feature landscapes and architectural views combined with portraiture, conveying the unique character and personality of these urban capitals during a period of intense structural, social and economic transformations after World War II.’ 

The tome has been published to accompany the photographer’s first major museum exhibition in the U.S in over 50 years, which is currently on show in the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. Scroll down to see how Hofer’s work takes you on a trip through time… 

One of the most beautiful celestial events of the year takes place this week, with up to 100 shooting stars visible each hour during the Perseid meteor shower.

Skywatchers across the US and Canada will be among those best able to enjoy the dazzling meteor shower, which occurs when the Earth plows through debris left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet during its trips through the inner solar system.

Described as a ‘fireball champion‘ by Nasa, it will be visible both north and south of the equator, but the Northern Hemisphere provides the best displays.

It will reach its peak in North America from August 12 to 13 and remain visible until September 1. 

Astronomers say the Perseids, like all meteor showers, are best viewed with the naked eye in areas with clear skies, low light pollution, low smog and a wide view of the sky. Here’s what to know if you want to make the most of it:

When and how can I watch the Perseid meteor shower in the US and Canada?   

First, check the weather forecast before you head out. 

The quality of the display that we see during a meteor shower’s peak is determined by the weather and the moon.

Forecasters say people in the US and Canada will have a good view this year, as long as the sky is clear of light pollution and clouds. 

If you’re in a location where the clouds aren’t too bad, head to a dark spot away from light. Find an area with a clear view of the sky away from trees, street lamps, and buildings. 

Experts say binoculars and telescopes are not necessary because they will restrict the size of the sky that will be visible to you. 

Be prepared – it could take 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark, and looking at your cell phone can mess up night vision.

The best time to see anything in the night sky is when the sky is at its darkest and when the target is at its highest position in the sky. 

For meteor showers, this usually occurs between midnight and the very early hours of the morning.

This year, the Earth will pass through the remains of the Swift-Tuttle comet at 4am ET August 13, and will be visible from 10.30pm to 4.30am.

How many shooting stars will there be every hour during the 2023 Perseid meteor shower? 

When a Perseid meteor shower begins, stargazers can only see about one meteor every hour. 

However, once it reaches its peak, that number will increase from 50-75, with a maximum of 100 every hour.

The average number people will see in 2023 will vary significantly, says Nasa’s Bill Cooke. 

‘People in the US can reasonably expect to see around 40 Perseids in the hour just before dawn on the peak nights. That’s about one every couple of minutes, which is not bad.’  

‘However, we are assuming you are out in the country, well away from cities and suburbs.’

Where can I watch the Perseid meteor shower and which countries get the best view? 

Two of the best spots to see the Perseids this year will be along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States.

Overall, the Northern Hemisphere will have the best views globally, according to Dr Robert Massey, of the Royal Astronomical Society.

‘The radiant for the Perseids – the point in the sky the meteors appear to come from – is in Perseus, and high in the Northern Hemisphere of the sky,’ he said.

‘It’s 58 degrees north of the celestial equator, which means it would be overhead from 58 degrees north.’

‘This also means the radiant never rises for places south of 32 degrees south, so the southernmost parts of Australia, and much of Argentina and Chile.’

‘The upshot is that the Northern Hemisphere has the best potential view, as the radiant is higher in the sky and visible for longer, so in theory more meteors are visible.’

For those in the US and Canada, national parks that are open after dark will predictably be among the most incredible places to view the Perseid meteor shower.

How fast are the Perseid meteors traveling and how big are they?

A typical Perseid meteoroid moves at 133,200 mph (214,365 kph) when it hits Earth’s atmosphere.

At this point it becomes a meteor. If it were to hit the ground it would be termed a meteorite, but almost none of the Perseid fragments do this because they are the size of a grain of sand. 

Most of the fragments are visible when they are about 60 miles (97 kilometers) from the Earth’s surface.

Meteors can travel at speeds of 44 miles per second, and the size of a meteor does not make any difference. 

The Perseid meteor shower is the only meteor shower to have delayed a Space Shuttle launch – the NASA-STS-51 was delayed in 1993 due to concerns about damage to the spacecraft. 

Why is it called the Perseid meteor shower?

The name Perseids comes from the constellation Perseus, which is visible in the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere.

‘Perseus is a mythological Greek character,’ says Fiske Planetarium Manager Francisco ‘Tito’ Salas. 

‘Perseus is the one who killed Medusa. When he cut her head, that’s how he was able to kill the sea monster. And you know what happens when you see Medusa’s head? You transform into a rock.’ 

There have been other myths following Perseus which have found their way to be connected to the Perseids.

One myth states that Perseus married Andromeda, and together they had nine children. 

The connection? Perseids is derived from the Greek word Perseides, which refers to Perseus’ descendants. 

Like the Perseus constellation, the Perseids are visible in all parts of the world, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Perseus constellation sits in the middle of a triangle formed by the W or M-shaped constellation of Cassiopeia, the Pleiades star cluster and the bright star Canopus. 

Together, it all creates the constellation Carina. 

What is the Swift-Tuttle comet?

The pieces of space debris that interact with our atmosphere to create the Perseids meteor shower originate from the Swift-Tuttle comet.

Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli realized in 1865 that this comet was the source of the Perseids.

Comet Swift-Tuttle was discovered in 1862 independently by both Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle.

Swift-Tuttle is a large comet – its nucleus is 16 miles (26 kilometers) across – and it last passed near Earth in 1992.

When will the next meteor shower be? 

The next major meteor shower will be the Orionids, which will begin its activity on September 26 and end on November 22.

It is a medium-strength shower that in recent years has produced less dramatic displays than the Perseids. 

It will hit its peak on October 20-21.