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.
Headless Hydras: Unlocking the secrets behind their immortality
What are hydras? Scientists often take inspiration from nature to tackle problems facing human kind. The latest case of this is a study looking at Hydra vulgaris, a marine animal that is considered immortal! The tube-shaped creatures are one to three centimeters long. They reside in freshwater, Read More...
This super jelly can withstand extreme force
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created a cutting edge, jelly-like material that can withstand extreme force. The strong yet squishy hydrogel was designed to be able to handle the weight of an elephant standing on it! The team designed this hydrogel to have a high water content Read More...
Employment data shows the real story behind the “Great Resignation”
A record number of American workers are leaving their jobs in what has been dubbed the “Great Resignation.” While the pandemic has pushed many workers to rethink the role of work in their lives, employment research tells a more nuanced story than mainstream media. The General Social Survey Read More...
AI system can predict lightning strikes
Lightning is one of the leading causes of destructive wildfires, but its notoriously difficult-to-predict nature means that firefighters and residents rarely have an accurate prediction about where and when lightning may strike. Researchers from the University of Washington hope to use AI to better Read More...
The secrets behind the ferocity of fungi exposed
Armillaria ostoyae is one of the toughest tree-killing fungi on the planet. It assembles with black tentacle-like structures called rhizomorphs, which leach onto trees and suck out their nutrients. The reason the fungi is so hard to kill has previously baffled scientists, with farmers hacking Read More...
So what is the relationship between climate change and tornadoes?
Following devastating tornadoes in the United States this week, many are wondering, are these events fuelled by climate change? While wildfires and extreme rainfall have direct links to a changing climate, things are a bit more complex with tornadoes. Although the weather has a direct impact on Read More...
Robots with ‘human like’ brains able to escape maze
Mazes are commonly used in psychology to assess the behavior of rats and mice. As scientists create more and more human-like robot brains, they thought it was time for the machines to have a turn. Robot vs. maze Teams from the Eindhoven University of Technology and the Max Planck Institute for Read More...
Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram is making safe surgery more equitable
Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram attributes her concern for medical inequity to her exposure to war-torn Lebanon as a child. There she saw how people suffered because they lived in inaccessible places, didn’t have the opportunity to connect with highly specialized medical professionals, or couldn’t Read More...
This is how solar parks could be used to boost pollinator numbers
While solar parks are an integral part of our green energy transition, they are sometimes the subject of controversy over claims that they are an eyesore, spoil productive land, and harm nature. However, a new study has found that, if managed properly, solar parks can actually help provide habitats Read More...
Prefab home design weaves sustainability and affordability together
In a quiet residential neighborhood in Brant County, Ontario, lies a home that outperforms neighboring houses not only in sustainable design, but also in affordability. Boasting Passive House standards — a highly energy-efficient building standard — the new house is an experiment for Habitat Read More...