Today’s Solutions: December 25, 2024

Science

From mathematics and AI to medicine and psychology, The Optimist Daily features the latest news on discoveries, technological advances, and breakthroughs in the world of science. Our Science section is here to engage and enlighten you.

Blue opioid pills in a jar

This device can save people from opioid overdoses

The strain of health care systems around the world caused by the pandemic means many other services have been cut. This includes those tackling the opioid epidemic, which accounted for 70 percent of overdoses in 2019, according to the CDC. While many government policies look at this issue from a Read More...

Doctor and advanced dialysis equipment in hospital background.

3 Covid-19 medical advancements that will endure post-pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic stalled a lot of progress, but true to form, The Optimist Daily would like to point out a few ways in which the pandemic actually provided the perfect circumstances for technological advancement. Genetic vaccines. After thirty years of lab research and development, the Read More...

Two mosquitos on human skin at sunset.

Could genetically modified mosquitoes mean the end of malaria?

Managing mosquito populations is a key component to reducing malaria rates, but as anyone who has spent a summer evening outdoors knows, these pesky insects can be tough to work against. However, a landmark study has found that genetically modified mosquitoes can be introduced to keep insect Read More...

Beautiful closeup of blue human eye.

Scientists use algae proteins to partially restore vision of blind man

Retinitis pigmentosa — a disease that progressively destroys light-sensing cells on the surface of the retina — is one of the most common causes of blindness in young people, affecting about one in 4,000 people worldwide. Though there’s no cure for this genetic disorder, scientists are Read More...

Turning of the year 2021 to 2022

8 Trends from 2021 We’ll Carry to the New Year

“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” - Hal Borland  It’s the time of year for reflections and projections as we take stock of all that has happened over the last twelve months and peer with hopeful curiosity Read More...

Train traveling through the Austrian countryside

Austria’s Klimaticket lets you to travel anywhere in the country for just €3 a day

Fifteen years after it was first proposed, Austria has finally officially introduced its Klimaticket, or ‘climate ticket,’ an annual ticket with unlimited access to all public transportation for the price of just €3 ($3.50) per day. The implementation of the Klimaticket comes just after Read More...

Man repairing electronics

E-waste: Crucial “right to repair” laws have come into force in the EU

In an effort to cut the environmental impact of electronic goods, the European Union passed a law in 2019 that would force companies that sell products such as TVs, hairdryers, and refrigerators to ensure that those appliances can be repaired for up to 10 years. This week, the law finally came into Read More...

Sheep under solar panel

These Minnesota solar farms go beyond green energy production

Global renewables company Enel Green Power has installed 16 solar farms across Minnesota, but their arrays look a little different than others you find across the US. Instead of bare earth or gravel beneath the panels, you can find pollinator-friendly plants and grazing sheep. Recognizing the Read More...

Whale shark swimming through the sea.

A star-mapping algorithm from NASA is being used to save whale sharks

The Wildbook for Whale Sharks uses an advanced algorithm to scan images of sharks and compare them to thousands of archived photos to track populations, but the technology was not initially intended for use in our oceans. The system was first developed by NASA to map stars in the sky with the Read More...

International Space Station above earth

New study helps rocket us towards inclusive space travel

The AstroAccess project has taken flight, set up to understand what more inclusive space travel looks like. 26 percent of the American population have a disability according to the CDC, though 8.4 percent of the country’s employed scientists and engineers are disabled. The point of this project Read More...