A Solar Eclipse and Shooting Stars Are Happening On the Same Date

For those in the northern hemisphere, a solar eclipse is happening on the same day as the peak of the best summer meteor shower. We can look forward to a celestial double whammy and you don't need any special kit to enjoy it. On August 12/13, the moon will pass directly in front of the sun, giving us a view of a spectacular solar eclipse across North America, the UK and Ireland, and continental Europe. Then, as the sun sets and night falls, the earth will pass through debris left behind by a comet, producing one of the best meteor showers of the year. For stargazers, this is a date worth planning ahead for — and hopefully one to remember. The partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the U.S. on Wednesday, August 12, touching parts of Alaska, the northern contiguous U.S., and New England across roughly 26 states. The general window is from approximately 11:34 a.m. to 3:57 p.m. EDT, with peak coverage around 1:45 p.m. EDT. Alaska begins earlier in the morning. Because the sun remains nearly fully exposed, you must use certified solar eclipse glasses at all times to look at it safely.

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Man Makes 1,700-Mile Round Journey To Save a Rare Phone Box On a Scottish Island

Artist and photographer William Arnold (pictured below) has been working to save phone boxes since 2022. It all began on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, when the 47-year-old wanted to make a phone call. With his cellphone battery almost dead, he came across a phone box, but when he picked up the receiver the line was dead. That sparked an interest in preserving phone boxes in more rural communities. A phone box in Einacleit appealed to him because it’s believed to be the last remaining connected double-door telephone kiosk in the UK. That’s when he discovered that Ofcom — the UK version of the FCC — requires a minimum of 52 calls to be made from a phone box each year in order for it to remain operational. That’s when Arnold decided he would make the 1700-mile round trip to visit the rare phone box. He arrived with £36 ($48) worth of coins and managed to make his 52 calls to 52 different people. “It wasn’t just 20-second phone calls,” said Arnold. “Some people phoned me back, so I had a few longer conversations.” He said it took him just under two hours, with 45mph winds battering the door of the phone box. A spokesperson for British Telecom confirmed that about 9,000 public phone boxes remain operational in the UK, down from about 20,000 two years ago. He went on to explain that maintaining and operating a large group of phone boxes costs millions of pounds each year, an obstacle that prevents more investment in full fiber broadband and mobile networks, which customers demand. For now, Arnold hopes he can persuade local people to make the 52 calls required to keep the phone box in service themselves.

 

 

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What Is the Rainiest City in the U.S.?

Seattle, Washington, has a reputation as one of the wettest cities in the United States, but it turns out it’s not even close to having the most rain in the country. In fact, the rainiest city in the U.S. is actually located in the South. To compile a list of the rainiest cities in the country, the National Centers for Environmental Information made a list of the 100 most populous cities and then added the average annual precipitation for the period 2006-2020. They then ranked the cities by highest average annual rainfall. They left off smaller cities like Hilo, on Hawaii’s Big Island, which receives more rainfall than anywhere in the U.S., receiving an average of 147.65 inches a year. It turns out the rainiest city in the U.S. is a tie between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. Both have an annual average rainfall of 66.1 inches. In addition, the Louisiana coast is vulnerable to hurricanes, as witnessed by the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Here are the remaining top 10 rainiest cities in the country:

 2. Huntsville, Ala. (63.48 inches)

 3. Miami, Fla. (61.72 inches)

 4. Houston, Tex. (60.70 inches)

 5. Tampa, Fla. (59.17 inches)

 6. Port St. Lucie, Fla. (59.04 inches)

 7. Memphis, Tenn. (58.77 inches)

 8. Virginia Beach, Va. (56.55 inches)

 9. Nashville, Tenn. (56.45 inches)

10. Louisville, KY. (55.34 inches)

 

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The T-Shirt That Doesn’t Require Washing For Up to a Month

HercLéon — the company that brought us self-cleaning underwear a few years back — recently went viral for launching its HercShirt, a breakthrough design that can reportedly remain odor-free for over a month, even if you wear it every single day. The HercShirt V5.0 was designed to stay fresh for over a month without washing. It sounds unbelievable, especially in the summer when most people sweat a lot more, but HercLéon claims that the chemistry they came up with is real. It weaves minerals and metals like copper, silver, zinc, gold, and volcanic ash into the fabric to fight bacteria, absorb moisture, and neutralize sweat and smoke odors before they start. Because it doesn’t need washing as often as typical fabrics, the HercShirt lasts a lot longer than conventional t-shirts. It may cost $100, but think of the money you’ll save on laundry. The HercShirt is available in sizes from X-Small to 6X-Large and comes in a variety of styles. The HercShirt can be ordered on the company’s website.

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