We have enjoyed a few MINIs of late here at Business Insider. And by "enjoyed," I mean we were joyfully terrified by the John Cooper Works high-performance version of the car, and equally joyfully not so terrified by the 2016 Cooper S Convertible that MINI loaned us for some late-summer motoring.

I'm not sure this is the best small convertible that you can currently get. We can never forget about the Mazda MX-5 Miata, a car we also checked out and richly enjoyed. But the thing is that MINIs are very likable cars. And the Convertible S version is the most likable of them all.

Our $38,300 test car was close to automotive perfection, in a wonderful small package.

We got behind the wheel just as summer was drawing to a close. Here's what we thought:

The MINI John Cooper Works was the last ride from the plucky BMW-owned brand that we checked out.

The JCW was a frightening little thing. It thrashed me hard and left me wanting more.

Read the review here.

The Cooper S is more subdued. Ours arrived in "melting silver metallic," with a Chesterfield leather interior, in "malt brown." Absolutely lovely on both fronts.

Honeymoons aren't cheap — according to Wallaby Financial, the average seven-day honeymoon costs over $5,000.

Add to that having just thrown a pricey wedding, money can be tight.

Luckily, you don't have to really splurge to enjoy your trip.

Wallaby put together a list of 10 destinations that come with plenty to see and do, but without the hefty price tag.

Keep scrolling to discover some more affordable romantic spots.

Tulum, Mexico

Yes, there are resorts in Tulum that cost upwards of $500 per night, but there are also plenty of more affordable options, like the Mango Tulum Hotel, a bed and breakfast with rooms for about $40 per night.

Tulum is home to ancient Mayan ruins perfect for history buffs, as well as beautiful beaches for lounging.

Montreal, Canada

If you're looking for a city just as romantic as Paris but not as expensive, opt for Montreal. The city offers excellent public transportation (no need to rent a car), historic sights, and a quaint riverfront.

Hotel Bonaventure Montreal describes itself as an urban oasis and  is linked by elevator to Montreal's Underground City and has rooms starting at just under $100 per night.

Puerto Rico

Although Puerto Rico experiences rain in the fall, it's not their wet season (that's summer), and it's also not their peak season (that's winter). So plan a trip in the autumn and take advantage of significantly cheaper accommodations as well as fewer visitors.

Both the Gran Meliá Puerto Rico Golf Resort and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa offer amenities like oceanfront pools, spas, and fitness centers. Rooms at both properties start around $130 per night.

Marie Kondo is a Japanese lifestyle celebrity who has the miraculous ability to help people declutter their homes for good.

She’s written two books —"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and "Spark Joy"— and even earned a spot on Time's 2015 "Top 100 Influential People" list. 

Kondo helps her clients and readers tidy their homes with the ‘KonMari Method’ that she says has been honed since she was an organization-obsessed teenager in Japan.

The trick? Only keep things that “spark joy” or make you feel happy. If something in your home doesn’t spark joy, Kondo believes you should thank it for its service in your life and get rid of it.

To find out how to apply this technique, keep reading to see 19 easy steps on how to ‘Kondo’ your home.

Marie Kondo believes you should purge your home of everything that doesn't spark joy. By tidying all at once, “you can dramatically change your mind-set.”

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Before you start tidying, visualize how you want your place and your life to look. “Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space,” she writes in "Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up."

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In her new book “Spark Joy,” Kondo recognizes the importance of creating your own zen space — whether it’s your bedroom, kitchen, or a corner of a room — where it will make you happy and give you energy.

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Some people are smarter than others. But that doesn't mean anyone can't appear to look more intelligent than they may be in reality.

In fact, there are plenty of science-backed ways to convince others that you're a modern-day Einstein as soon as you meet them.

We rounded up six of them so you can impress your boss and buddies with your seeming brainpower.

SEE ALSO: 15 science-backed tricks to instantly seem smart

People often do idiotic things after they've had too many drinks.

No wonder that even holding a beer can make you look less intelligent, according to a joint study by the Universities of Michigan and Pennsylvania.

"People who hold an alcoholic beverage are perceived to be less intelligent than those who do not, a mistake we term the imbibing idiot bias," write authors Scott Rick and Maurice Schweitzer.

In one of five experiments the researchers conducted, 300 managers saw photographs and read transcripts from a hypothetical dinner interview. Results showed that the managers perceived the candidates who ordered wine instead of soda as significantly less intelligent and less hirable.

Research suggests that if you're wearing glasses, you'll appear less attractive but more intelligent. 

In one small study, researchers at the University of Vienna had 76 participants look at 78 images of faces — some without glasses, some with full-rim glasses, and some with rimless glasses — and rate them on a number of traits, including intelligence and attractiveness.

According to the researchers' findings, people wearing glasses (rimless or with rims) were rated as more intelligent than people without glasses. Yet those without glasses were seen as more attractive than those with full-rim spectacles.

Go hipster, look smart.

Monotone sounds dull.

"If two speakers utter exactly the same words, but one speaks a little faster and louder and with fewer pauses and greater variation in volume, that speaker will be judged to be more energetic, knowledgeable, and intelligent," writes Leonard Mlodinow, author of "Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior."

He continues: "Expressive speech, with modulation in pitch and volume, and a minimum of noticeable pauses, boosts credibility and enhances the impression of intelligence."

What's the best way to burn the most calories?

There's a lot that goes into developing an exercise regimen — meeting your body's needs, finding something you enjoy, and figuring out what will have enough impact to make a difference to your health.

If you're crunched for time, one of the ways to measure that is to figure out how much energy a particular exercise expends in the time you actually do it. In other words, how many calories does it burn?

The big, important caveats here are that exercising on its own actually doesn't do much to make you lose weight. If you want to slim down, we suggest talking to a doctor about what a healthy weight is for you and working on cutting sugar and large portions out of your diet.

Still, calories burned per hour is a good measure of how intense a particular exercise is. The Mayo Clinic, drawing on research published by the National Institutes of Health, lists 36 popular forms of exercise by their caloric impacts. We've ordered them from least to most intense, with approximate calories burned per hour for a 200-pound person listed for each activity. (An average adult American weighs just under 200 pounds.) Of course exact figures will vary across body types, gender, age, and other factors.

Keep in mind that the numbers here are approximate. Also, just because an exercise burns calories faster doesn't mean it's necessarily the best option. The most important exercise is the one you enjoy enough to get up and do regularly.

SEE ALSO: 9 science-backed ways to be a happier person

DON'T MISS: AccuWeather says Americans should prepare for a cold, stormy, snowy winter

36. Hatha yoga | 228 calories/hour

Hatha yoga, a version of the exercise practice centered on holding specific poses, sits at the bottom of this list, burning an average of about 228 calories per hour in a 200-pound person.

35. A slow walk | 255 calories/hour

Next up: going for a stroll. For every hour walked at 2 mph, a 200-pound person burns 255 calories.

32. Bowling | 273 calories/hour

Bowling, along with the next two items on this list, ballroom dancing and Tai Chi, burns 273 calories per active hour.

On the search for a new job? You may want to check out openings at Best Buy, JPMorgan Chase, or Amazon.

Those three companies are doing some of the heaviest hiring right now for jobs that pay over $50,000 a year, according to Indeed.

The job search engine recently compiled a list of big US companies currently trying to fill the most full-time jobs that pay over $50,000. The salary data is a combination of company and user input.

Here are the nine big-name companies with the largest number of openings right now for high-paying jobs:

SEE ALSO: The highest-paying companies in the US outside of tech

9. Kaiser Permanente

Job openings (for positions paying over $50,000 a year): 1,140

Founded in 1945, California-based Kaiser Permanente is one of the country's largest not-for-profit health plans, serving close to 11 million members.

8. Wells Fargo

Job openings (for positions paying over $50,000 a year): 1,197

The financial services company, which was founded in 1852, employs about 265,000 people.

7. AT&T

Job openings (for positions paying over $50,000 a year): 1,325

The Dallas-based telecommunications giant employs about 280,000 people worldwide.

Every year, the Great American Beer Festival holds a prestigious competition to select the best beers and breweries in the country.

Approximately 1,752 breweries participated in this year's festival, which was hosted by the Brewers Association and took place from October 6 to 8 in Denver, Colorado.

On Saturday afternoon, a jury of more than 265 beer industry professionals from 12 countries announced the winners. Without knowing the brand names, they tasted each brewery's selected beers according to specific flavor parameters (which you can read more about in this 68-page set of guidelines).

The breweries are broken into seven different size categories, ranging from "small brewpub" to "large brewing company." The top one in each group was awarded the title of "Champion Brewery."

Here are the winners.

SEE ALSO: Patagonia just released a beer that's different from any other brew you can buy

Small Brewpub — ZwanzigZ Brewing

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Location: Columbus, Indiana

Winning beers: Frankenwald Eisbock and The Ticket Chocolate Beer

Mid-Size Brewpub — Karl Strauss Brewing Co.

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Location: San Diego, California

Winning beers: Queen of Tarts and Liquid AC

Large Brewpub — The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.

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Location: Austin, Texas

Winning beer: Industry

The gender wage gap is pervasive in many industries, especially those still dominated by men.

But there are some fields where women not only make up a high percentage of the workforce, but they earn competitive pay doing it.

PayScale recently looked at occupations with the highest median pay for women with five to eight years of experience. To highlight jobs in which women frequently work, only those where at least 40% of workers identified as female were included.

A number of well-paying healthcare occupations feature high concentrations of women. More than 90% of nurse practitioners and almost half of general physicians are women, for example.

Check out the full list of jobs where women earn the most:

SEE ALSO: Women are rarely picked to be CEO, and it's not because they're all dropping out to have babies

DON'T MISS: Women are rarely picked to be CEO, and it's not because they're all dropping out to have babies

20. Category manager

They determine the layout of products in a store.

Percentage of women: 42%

Median pay: $90,400

19. User experience researcher

They investigate ways to improve the end-user interaction with computer programs to increase satisfaction, brand loyalty, and overall use.

Percentage of women: 65%

Median pay: $91,300

18. Senior operations project manager

They fulfill important oversight positions for large firms or companies.

Percentage of women: 42%

Median pay: $91,700

Rents may be dropping slightly in several of America's largest cities, but it's always helpful to know what your money can get you.

Of course, your rent money will stretch a lot further in some cities than others. A one-bedroom apartment in New York City, for instance, goes for about $2,000 more than the same-sized apartment in Denver.

With the help of real-estate marketplace Zumper and its October national rent report, we've compiled a sampling of one-bedroom listings in the 20 most expensive markets in the US.

Each listing is within $100 of the respective city's median rental price.

SEE ALSO: Here's the income you need to comfortably pay rent on a 2-bedroom apartment in 15 of the largest US cities

DON'T MISS: Here's what a 4-bedroom home looks like in America's most expensive neighborhoods

20. DENVER: For $1,300 a month, residents of this newly renovated apartment in a quiet residential neighborhood are close to several parks and shopping centers.

Rent: $1,300/month

Neighborhood: Speer

This apartment overflows with amenities, including everything from dark wood cabinets to stainless steel appliances to new flooring and lighting. 

19. ATLANTA: This spacious apartment goes for $1,295 a month and includes access to a fitness center, picnic area, and outdoor barbecue space.

Rent: $1,295/month

Neighborhood: Midtown

This pet-friendly apartment comes complete with a balcony, hardwood floors, a walk-in closet, and air conditioning to temper Atlanta's hot summers. The complex also offers a business center, garage parking, and a pool. 

18. MINNEAPOLIS: Located in the heart of Minneapolis, units in this complex start at $1,345 a month and sit close to walking trails along the West River Parkway and fine dining in Highland Park.

Rent: $1,345 to $1,495/month

Neighborhood: Hiawatha

Units at Parkway West captivate residents with an open layout, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a rooftop patio. 

Yoga has so many passionate devotees, and so many different types (Hatha? Bikram? Vinyasa?), that it can seem intimidating to true beginners. But if you've ever walked by a yoga class and decided that dark magic ruled all that happened there, do not fear: Yoga is actually harmless.

Not only that, it can be really good for you. And it's actually quite easy to get started.

I'm not talking about the crazy advanced poses where by some stroke of luck — or a spell — the teacher hovers on one limb while the rest of her body curves lithely into some seemingly impossible shape. No, the yoga I'm advocating is the kind practically anyone can do, provided they know a few basics.

Ready to clear your mind and get your heart pumping? Read on.

UP NEXT: We tried the science-backed 7-minute fitness routine that's going viral, and it actually works

SEE ALSO: What the author of 'Eat Fat, Get Thin' eats — and avoids — every day

I currently practice yoga about six days a week and I do a mix of everything from "open" to "power" classes. When I started, I only practiced about once a week — if that — and I steered clear of anything with the words "advanced" or "power" anywhere near the title.

I love yoga because it quiets my mind, makes me feel strong, and challenges me to do things I'd never thought physically possible. The science backs me up here: Dozens of studies have linked a regular yoga practice to stronger, more flexible muscles, a healthier heart and, in people with depression and anxiety, a decrease in negative symptoms.

Sources: Harvard Medical School; Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2016; Rhode Island Medical Journal 2013; Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2016

To start, I'd recommend looking for classes with the words "vinyasa" or "flow" in the name — if you want a workout, that is. If you're more interested in learning the standard poses, Hatha or Bikram (a type of yoga which involves heating the studio to the point where you sweat so much, towels are required to participate) will suffice.

If you were a die-hard "Star Wars" fan and loved "Force Awakens," chances are you're hungry for updates on the next episode in the saga, 'Star Wars: Episode VIII."

Star Wars Celebration Europe, which took place in London in July, revealed some interesting information about the film. Since then, others from the cast (and a few rumors) have given us a further idea of the movie, which is currently in post production.

Below is everything we know so far about the movie (which comes out December 15, 2017), from the mouths of stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, and writer/director Rian Johnson.

Warning: spoilers ahead.

SEE ALSO: Everything you nee to know about the next "Star Wars" movie, "Rogue One"

Not familiar with Rian Johnson? He directed the hit sci-fi movie "Looper."

Get ready to hear the name Rian Johnson a lot throughout the next year. Though he's only made three feature films going into "Episode VIII," those movies include stunning works like the modern-day film noir "Brick" and sci-fi mobster movie "Looper," which have shown he's ready for the largest stage in filmmaking.

Johnson also directed some of the most memorable "Breaking Bad" episodes, including "Fly" and "Ozymandias" (arguably the greatest episode of the series).

Looking to take a deeper dive? Here's more about Johnson you need to know.

Johnson spent six weeks at the Lucasfilm headquarters, Skywalker Ranch, figuring out the "Episode VIII" story.

At Star Wars Celebration, Johnson revealed that while writing the script for "Episode VIII," he spent six weeks at Skywalker Ranch. But he wasn't just taking inspiration from the grounds that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas walks. He also had an eye on "The Force Awakens."

"We would watch dailies come in from 'VII,'" Johnson told the Celebration crowd. "It was probably really healthy creating the story based on our reactions to the footage rather than the cultural reactions. It was a unique experience."

The movie will start right where "The Force Awakens" ended.

Before principal photography began in London on "Episode VIII," Johnson and his crew took actors Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Daisy Ridley (Rey) to Skellig Michael, the island where the final scene of "The Force Awakens" took place, to shoot an extension of the scene. 

That will be the opening of "Episode VIII," according to Johnson.

"I don't want to skip ahead [after] that last moment of 'Episode VII.' I want to see what happens next,"Johnson said.

This has sparked an interesting conversation among fans. Will there be an opening crawl in "Episode VIII"? There are typically months to years between "Star Wars" episodes, so the crawl brings the audience up to speed. Johnson did not say if there will or will not be a crawl in the new movie. 

Many people are driven to do things that excite them, no matter how risky or terrifying those activities might seem to others.

If you heard about a chance to ski down a steep backcountry slope, would you jump on that opportunity? Does wandering through an unknown city where you don't speak the language sound fun? Do you get restless or bored doing the same thing day after day?

Then you may score highly on measures of a personality trait that psychologists call "sensation-seeking."

"It's an overall behavior tendency to really seek out rewarding experiences despite the risk involved,"Jane Joseph, a Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, tells Business Insider.

In other words, she says it's not about the risk. It's about the reward. But the desire for that rewarding sensation overpowers concerns about risk, according to Joseph.

Here are 17 of the ways that behavioral tendency is expressed and things that sensation-seekers have in common.

SEE ALSO: 10 survival myths that might get you killed

Everyone falls somewhere on the sensation-seeking spectrum, but some people are more likely to ignore risks and instead seek rewards than others, to the point they may seem attracted to risk.

Source: Pizam et al., Journal of Travel Research, 2004

There are four subcategories to sensation seeking: experience seeking (wanting new sensory or mental experiences), thrill and adventure seeking, susceptibility to boredom, and disinhibition (enjoying things like "wild parties").

Source: Zuckerman, Sensation Seeking and Risky Behavior

Not all sensation-seeking activities are risky (and not everyone who takes risks does so because of this behavior trait).

Over the weekend, Hurricane Matthew slammed into Florida, North and South Carolina, and Virginia, and Haiti. The storm killed nearly 900 people in Haiti and at least 15 people in the US, according to the latest estimates by Reuters and The New York Times.

Weakened but still powerful, the storm was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone Sunday morning. It's still dangerous, however, and is still packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

Over a million residents were ordered to evacuate up and down Florida's east coast starting Wednesday. Approximately 900 people have been rescued in North Carolina after Hurricane Matthew hit the eastern part of the state, and that number is expected to rise as some are trapped in their homes, Governor Pat McCrory said Sunday.

Here are a few images that show the damage from the storm so far.

SEE ALSO: These heartbreaking images show the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti

Starting October 5, governments in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina advised that residents evacuate.

The storm hit Daytona Beach on the eastern coast of Florida.

Debris flew through the air as the eye of the hurricane neared the state's beaches.

The NBA is back, though it hardly felt like it ever left.

After one of the most memorable Finals series in NBA history, the Cleveland Cavaliers were overshadowed by the story of the offseason — the Warriors signing Kevin Durant.

Now, the NBA feels more top-heavy than ever — a Warriors-Cavs rematch feels inevitable.

But where does the rest of the NBA stand? After a momentous offseason, the NBA has seen a bit of a shakeup below the top two.

Check out our power rankings for where all 30 teams stand in the preseason below.

30. Philadelphia 76ers

2015-16 record: 10-72, 15th in East

Big offseason additions: Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless

Big offseason losses: Ish Smith

One thing to know: No. 1 pick Ben Simmons has a fracture in his foot and will miss several months. Meanwhile, the 76ers have a huge logjam up front, and Nerlens Noel is already unhappy. This team can't catch a break.

29. Brooklyn Nets

2015-16 record: 21-61, 14th in East

Big offseason additions: Jeremy Lin, Greivis Vasquez, Luis Scola

Big offseason losses: Thaddeus Young, Jarrett Jack, Shane Larkin (unsigned)

One thing to know: Stripped of draft picks, the Nets tried to rebuild around young players with something to prove, but ultimately, this team is still facing a long, slow uphill climb.

28. Los Angeles Lakers

2015-16 record: 17-65, 15th in West

Big offseason additions: Timofey Mozgov, Luol Deng, Jose Calderon, Brandon Ingram, hired Luke Walton

Big offseason losses: Kobe Bryant (retired), Brandon Bass, Roy Hibbert

One thing to know: The Lakers overpaid for veteran help, but Deng, Mozgov, and Calderon should all be helpful influences to a young core that now includes three lottery picks.

It's no secret that people of all ages love reading Young Adult (YA) books even though they're meant for ages 12 to 18, but New Adult (NA) fiction is the best genre you've never heard of.

Targeted at ages 18 to 30, New Adult bridges the age gap between Young Adult and Adult novels.

NA deals with common themes of self-discovery, emerging independence, and complicated relationships, but without the backdrop of high school hallways or impending middle age. Protagonists are college students and recent graduates — no college application angst. They have their own apartments — no white picket fences yet. Sometimes they're single parents. Sometimes they've never had a partner at all.

With its older audience, it can also take more risks than YA. NA often contains bold sexual content and explores mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. There are also hints of subjects that would bore older adults to sleep but feel all too real to 20-somethings, like financial independence.

Here are 10 NA novels you don't want to miss.

"Easy" by Tammara Webber

"Easy" is the quintessential NA book, and in many ways set the standard for what a good one is.

Sophomore Jacqueline narrowly escapes an attempted assault thanks to a mysterious boy who sits in the back of her econ class. As she learns more about him, she also learns to fight back. '

As a former undergraduate academic adviser, Webber's depiction of campus life is spot-on. Every college-aged person should read this book, both for its important lessons about consent and the swoon-inducing romance between Jacqueline and Lucas.

Buy it here

"Slammed" by Colleen Hoover

An NA classic that straddles YA, "Slammed" weaves breathtaking poetry through a deeply romantic story shaped by loss, confusion, and hope.

Layken and Will immediately hit it off after their first date to a poetry slam. When the truth comes out about who they both are, they're forced to remain apart and communicate only through stolen moments and rhythmic lines. 

There will be more Colleen Hoover to come in this roundup, since she's an incredibly prolific NA author who seems to pop out books faster than her beloved "CoHorts" can read them. 

Buy it here

"Just One Day" by Gayle Forman

This book screams NA. Post-graduation solo travel? Check. Relationships with best friends changing when you no longer live in the same place? Check. Wanting to please your parents but be your own person? Check. Feeling inadequate when you don't have your life together the way you thought you would? Check.

Getting lost, but ultimately understanding yourself better as a result? But of course.

Buy it here

I’ve been traveling and living abroad for over five years. My life sounds like one big vacation, right? It’s not! 

No matter what we do in life, working to obtain money will always be a part of it (unless you’re one of the six Brangelina kids, of course).

After changing my lifestyle to one that involves living in different countries and finding alternative ways to make money, I’ve picked up a few money tips that could be useful should you want a to travel like pro or even live a nomadic expat lifestyle like me.

SEE ALSO: A 31-year-old who's been traveling the world for 5 years explains how she affords it

DON'T MISS: A 31-year-old who's been traveling the world for 5 years gives her best advice for people seeking adventure

You don’t need it.

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There are a lot of things you simply don’t need. That fancy shampoo made of unicorn hair and fairy dust, that third cup of Starbucks' crappy coffee, and the new iPhone 7 are all wants, not needs. People keep talking about wanting to travel more, but they aren’t making moves to make it happen. Stop purchasing items and start purchasing experiences.

You don’t have to give up everything, instead just find a few things you’re willing to live without and watch as your money stacks up!

I’ve learned to live without a lot of things — I don't buy fancy hair and makeup products and make my own coffee — and I can honestly and truly say my life is better without them. The experiences I’ve gained in place of those material items are priceless. (It’s true as cheesy as it sounds!)

Stop giving your money away.

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Well of course you’re not going to go to the top of the building with a bag of cash and just dump it in the streets for anyone to take, right?

On a less dramatic scale than that example, when you don’t do some research on popular scams in a country, when you don’t haggle a bit (not too much now), or if you don’t do some homework on how much things should cost, then you’re essentially giving your money away.

And I don’t feel the slightest bit bad for you either.

Keep that cash by doing just a bit of homework.

Pro tip: Always ask a neutral person how much something costs. Example: Ask your friendly staff at the hotel how much a taxi from the hotel to *insert awesome place you want to go to* should cost. They have no benefit in lying to you and this is a good base to know when haggling with the driver. 

Go where you can afford to go.

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You want an epic vacation, possibly to Paris, but your bank account will probably crumble quicker than a baguette when you turn it into Euros. However, the peso in Mexico is looking a lot more doable. Go where you can actually afford to go. Don’t worry about money on your holiday. There’s no point in going to Paris if you can’t afford to be there and actually enjoy it.

Much of America's charm is predicated on small-town life. It's community oriented, nostalgic, and generally more affordable than living in a big city.

In its October/November print issue, AARP The Magazine highlights 10 great hometowns for anyone on a modest budget of $40,000 per year. (Check out the shorter online version here).

To create the list, the magazine partnered with Sperling's Best Places, which focuses on quality of life research, to determine a livability index, factoring in metrics on housing affordability, access to work and recreation, transportation, healthcare, and safety. Each city on the list has a score above the average livability index score of 50.

Read on to check out 10 US cities where life is robust and affordable.

DON'T MISS: 15 of the most fun American cities that are actually affordable

SEE ALSO: The 25 cities with the best quality of life in the US

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Livability index: 65

Population: 115,300

Median housing price: $127,300

Sunny days per year: 188

Just one hour North of Milwaukee you'll find this distinctly Midwestern town on the shores of Lake Michigan at the opening of the Sheboygan River, the area's main draw and a hotspot for surfing and sailing. Residents laud Sheboygan's free and affordable events and activities, including the annual Brat Days festival, a celebration of the city's most famous culinary export.

Eugene, Oregon

Livability index: 59

Population: 358,300

Median housing price: $222,000

Sunny days per year: 155

Nestled in the lush Willamette Valley, Eugene has "carefully cultivated its image as an outdoor-lover's paradise," according to AARP The Magazine. Its high concentration of nature mavens — including both the area's college students and retirees — frequent farmer's markets, vineyards, hiking and biking trails, museums, and galleries.

Cleveland, Ohio

Livability index: 56

Population: 2 million

Median housing price: $124,000

Sunny days per year: 166

Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland has experienced a cultural renaissance of late, led by growing populations of baby boomers and millennials alike. The city's robust art and music scene is complemented by lively nightlife and award-winning restaurants, not to mention a renewed excitement among NBA fans with the return of hometown hero LeBron James.

There’s a fascinating link between geniuses and eccentric behavior.

Einstein picked cigarette butts off the street and used the tobacco for his pipe.

Benjamin Franklin sat naked in front of a window every morning and let the air circulate over his body. He called it an “air bath.”

Their eccentricity isn’t completely without explanation; there are mental benefits behind some of their madness.

Here are eight quirky habits from geniuses that will make you smarter.

SEE ALSO: Here's how to stop being lazy and get more done

1. Make love. A lot. 

Émilie du Châtelet went unrecognized for her pioneering scientific work in the early 18th century but was notorious for her active sex life.

The latter may have been responsible for the former; researchers at Konkuk University in Seoul noted that sexual activity improves cognitive function and promotes neurogenesis (the production of new neurons) through the suppression of chronic stress.

If you need another reason to have more sex, you’re welcome.

Related: The Habits of the World's Smartest People (Infographic)

2. Surround yourself with 24-karat gold.

Every night, Dr. Yoshiro Nakamatsu, who patented more than 3,300 inventions including the floppy disk, would retire to his “Calm Room” — a bathroom tiled in 24-karat gold.He explained“The gold blocks out radio waves and television signals that are harmful to the imagination.”

He’s onto something. While the link between radio waves and cancer is still debated, the cognitive effects of overexposure are undeniable. You probably can’t surround yourself with 24-karat gold, but you can step away from the “smog" of radio waves we live in — computers, Wi-Fi, cell phones, Bluetooth headsets.

To boost your mental performance, give your mind a reprieve from the technological buzz by taking a walk in nature or meditating. Schedule daily time to mentally disconnect and recharge.

3. The chill factor.

Benjamin Franklin went for daily swims in London’s chilly river Thames; Theodore Roosevelt went skinny-dipping in the cold waters of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., every winter.

Being submerged in water of various temperatures for physical and mental benefits is an ancient practice. The Greek sage Hippocrates said that water therapy "allays lassitude" (physical or mental weakness).

When you take a cold shower or swim, the shock causes your blood to move to the core of your body, and bathes your brain and vital organs in fresh blood.

Finish your showers with turning the temperature as cold as possible to give your brain an invigorating boost. If you’re brave, you can try an ice bath.

Related: Adapt or Die -- Some Chilling Lessons From the Ice Industry

You probably know what physics is. It's the study of the physical world, from falling apples to the motion of planets and stars to the behavior of the tiny subatomic particles that make up the world around us.

Physics is everywhere. It's in the most distant reaches of the cosmos. It's in the supermassive black holes raging in the center of galaxies and in the tiny fundamental building blocks that make up life on Earth. It's even in the seemingly empty space around us.

And every now and then a physicist comes along who forever changes our perception of the universe and everything in it.

Here are 20 physicists whose theories, ideas, and discoveries revolutionized the way we see the world.

SEE ALSO: The 12 mathematicians who unlocked the modern world

DON'T MISS: The Nobel Prize in physics explains why a toilet paper roll and a donut are the same

One of Galileo Galilei's (1564-1642) most well known accomplishments in physics is his work in the field of bodies in motion. In the 1630s, he showed that all freely falling bodies have the same constant acceleration.

Building on Galileo's work on objects in motion, Isaac Newton (1643-1727) established the three Laws of Motion as well as the Law of Universal Gravitation in 1687. One of his most revolutionary ideas was that the motion of objects in the heavens are subject to the same set of physical laws as the motion of objects on Earth.

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) is known for his work in magnetism and electricity. In 1831, he discovered electromagnetic induction and in 1839, he proposed that there is an underlying relationship between electricity and magnetism.

If you ever question the power of cinema, all you need to do is check out the movies that have been banned in different areas of the world over the past 100-plus years to reaffirm the grip the medium has on people.

Whether it be for political reasons ("The Great Dictator,""Zoolander"), religious reasons ("The Last Temptation of Christ"), or just because of the use of specific colors ("The Simpsons Movie"), all kinds of movies have been blocked from being shown based on some perceived offense.

Here are 19 well-known movies that have been banned:

SEE ALSO: The 23 best horror movies you can watch on Netflix right now

"The Battle of Algiers"

A landmark faux-documentary about the Algerian War in the late 1950s and early 1960s against the French government in North Africa, the movie was banned in France for six years due to its pro-Algerian message.  

"Battleship Potemkin"

This classic 1925 silent movie dramatizing the mutiny of a Russian battleship in 1905 led to it being banned in Nazi Germany and numerous other countries at the time of its release due to fears that it would cause a Marxist revolution. Now it's taught in film courses everywhere.

"A Clockwork Orange"

Stanley Kubrick's classic movie about an ultraviolent teen went so far in showing horrific antics, including house invasion and rape, that numerous countries banned the film for decades. In fact, in the United Kingdom it was withdrawn from theaters because Kubrick and his family were receiving death threats. The film didn't play again in the UK until the director's death in 1999.