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.
Indian student designs safe and sustainable solar ironing cart
It’s not uncommon to see ironing vendor carts in the streets of Indian cities. These carts offer quick and affordable ironing services, but their irons are often powered by charcoal, creating air pollution issues. To address this, Vinisha Umashankar, a clever 14-year-old student from Tamil Nadu, Read More...
Mustard plant could be the solution to greener aviation fuel
Aviation accounts for about three percent of all global emissions, but coming up with more sustainable fuel sources would significantly gut down on the industry’s footprint. Researchers from the University of Georgia think they have a green fuel solution with the development of a fuel based on Read More...
This new tool is a roadmap for safe renewable energy development in Maine
Maine has identified a new tool to proceed with renewable energy expansion more sustainably. The state’s new Renewable Energy Siting Tool is an interactive map that allows officials and energy developers to identify the safest places for renewable energy projects where they will have the least Read More...
Hamburg introduces energy-saving digitally automated tram
This year’s Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress is in Hamburg, Germany, and highlights mobility solutions and innovation. The congress opened alongside the exciting introduction of the country’s first fully automated “Digital S-Bahn Hamburg” tram. German rail company Read More...
Volvo unveils world’s first electric vehicle made with fossil-free steel
Two months ago, we shared a story about the world’s first “fossil-free” steel delivery arriving at a Volvo car factory in Sweden, as part of the carmaker’s plans to make its entire business operations (including its supply chain) climate-neutral by 2050. Now, the car manufacturer has Read More...
California says goodbye to gas-powered gardening equipment
We recently wrote an article about why you should invest in all-electric gardening equipment. Recognizing the environmental and public health benefits of this transition, California has signed a bill into law that will ban the sale of new gas-powered leaf-blowers, lawnmowers, power washers, and Read More...
New treatment kills cancer cells in terminally ill patients
There are about 12,200 new head and neck cancer cases in the UK every year, and many of these patients are diagnosed at advanced stages when the disease is very difficult to treat. The standard treatment currently offered to many patients with advanced cancer is “extreme” chemotherapy, which Read More...
Shatner’s space voyage reminds us of Star Trek’s inspirational messages
This week, one of the entertainment world’s most famous space explorers actually traveled into space. William Shatner, who played Star Trek's Captain Kirk, became the oldest person to venture to the final frontier aboard a Blue Origin rocket. On October 13, Shatner and a crew of three others Read More...
Japan strives to harness the incredible power of typhoons
In the last week of September, the metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, along with the country’s chain of small offshore islands, was narrowly missed by Mindulle, the third super typhoon to form in the Western Pacific this year. The storm, which originated close to the island of Guam, had powerful wind Read More...
Why fish poop is more important than we realize
A new study published in Science Advances has some news for the scientific community: We should be paying more attention to fish poop. While not a glamorous subject, the study finds that fish and their feces play an underappreciated role in ocean ecosystems. Why fish? Phytoplankton in the Read More...