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.
We are one step closer to understanding Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists have an incomplete picture of the contributing factors of Alzheimer's disease, meaning there is still no preventative treatment or cure for sufferers. It is widely accepted that build-up of the protein ‘tau’ around the brain forms ‘plaques,' which stop signals from being able to be Read More...
Researchers make huge leap in fusion reactor technology
In a historic first, a fusion reactor has exceeded the energy efficiency of fossil fuels! The reaction yielded 1.3 megajoules of energy, a higher amount than the input of fuel it took to power the reactor. The group of physicists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory responsible for this Read More...
Robots can now reproduce on their own
Created using cutting edge biotechnology, xenobots are the world’s first living robots. They can amazingly make decisions and reproduce all on their own. These tiny living machines made out of frog cells duplicate themselves by collecting resources from the environment, with their offspring going Read More...
Researchers say Viagra could potentially treat Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have determined that there is a drug that is already licensed and on the market that could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease: Viagra. Yes, that’s right, sildenafil (branded Viagra on the market) was identified out of more than 1,600 Food and Drug Read More...
Game of Trawls: How AI-equipped fishing nets could help reduce by-catch
While a very popular practice in the fishing industry, bottom trawling has long been criticized for its huge negative impact on marine ecosystems. A new device from researchers in France, however, could finally help make the method more eco-friendly. What is bottom trawling and why is it bad for Read More...
Bionic eye may soon restore vision in patients with certain types of blindness
Scientists at the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales have developed an impressive device that sparks new hope for people with certain types of blindness—a bionic eye. The novel prosthesis, called the Phoenix99 Bionic Eye, is designed to restore the sight of patients with Read More...
Research finds that empathy is key to ending online hate speech
Many social media platforms have launched more elaborate filters in an attempt to root out hate speech and inappropriate content, but unfortunately, many of these are imprecise and, as any social media user knows, harmful and hateful content still runs rampant on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Read More...
New AI system helps prioritize and assess ICU patients
A new AI system created by researchers at the University of Washington aims to help doctors during busy periods, like during a global pandemic. How does the technology work? The new algorithm can instruct doctors on which patients need intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and which can be helped Read More...
This easy tip boosts night shift worker health
In our busy modern world, night shift workers are called upon to keep the world spinning whilst most of us sleep. However, it has been proven that people who work when the sun goes down have a number of health problems associated with this lifestyle. According to the CDC, these include heart Read More...
These are the 2021 Hyperspace Challenge winners
The U.S. Space Force has chosen its winners of this year's Hyperspace Challenge. The idea of the competition, which started in 2018, is to develop technology that can be applied to or solve problems in the space domain. The start-ups and universities who come up with the best ideas receive prize Read More...