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.
Could ‘universal basic mobility’ end youth disconnection?
The concept of universal basic income (UBI) is being tested in cities around the world to explore how no-strings-attached payments can improve standards of living for vulnerable individuals. Now, some cities are looking beyond payments and embracing “universal basic mobility” as another Read More...
New research shows that cats track their owners movements
All cat owners and lovers know that cats are special and intelligent creatures, and this new study led by Dr. Saho Takagi at the University of Kyoto in Japan confirms this. Takagi’s research reveals cats’ ability to track their owners as they move about the house, and show signs of a genuine Read More...
New wearable wrist device can predict seizures
A huge difficulty for people living with epilepsy is even when medicated, unpredictable and sometimes deadly seizures can continue to happen. Fortunately, a new study by the Mayo Clinic has invented a device that may be able to give those with epilepsy more control over their lives. The study, Read More...
Newly discovered beaked whale is named after Indigenous whale expert
Every deep-sea species discovery serves as a reminder of how much there is yet to be discovered in the depths of our oceans. These discoveries are especially resonant when the new species in question are giant mammals like whales. Now that’s exactly what scientists have recently identified with Read More...
Study: Scientists store energy in biohybrid plants with electronic roots
Scientists at Sweden’s Linköping University have recently demonstrated how plant roots can be used as viable energy storage devices. The team’s experiment involved watering bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) with a special solution that made the roots electrically conductive, demonstrating the Read More...
Who spilled the tea? The answer is physics
The science behind an important unexplained everyday occurrence in our world has finally been described. Called the “teapot effect," it refers to an experience many of us have probably had: We go to pour a piping hot beverage out of a teapot too slowly, and end up with unwanted tea all over the Read More...
Researchers finally teach robots how to master the challenge of doors
Turns out that if you want to stop a looming robot take over of the planet, put a door in front of them. An aerospace engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati (UC), Ou Ma explains, "Robots can do many things, but if you want one to open a door by itself and go through the doorway, Read More...
US infrastructure bill sets its sights on the end of drunk driving
Among funding for increased bike paths, roadside green spaces, and improved roadways in the newly-passed $1 trillion US infrastructure bill is another critical safety measure. The Transportation Department has issued a new requirement for car companies in the bill: a mandate to develop tech Read More...
Earth's deepest earthquake finally explained
An earthquake recorded in the Bonin Islands off mainland Japan in 2015 caused a minor aftershock. No damage was done, and no one even noticed its occurrence. Little did residents know the deepest earthquake ever recorded had just happened below. For years after the event, scientists were left Read More...
How inflammation plays a role in our efforts to slow climate change
It really feels like climate change is getting more imminent by the day. With every other headline about how temperature levels are rising, animals are going extinct, and companies aren’t reaching their promised quotas, fear, stress, and anxiety over climate change can be extremely overwhelming Read More...