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.
Researchers successfully use deep brain stimulation to treat depression
Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a technique used to manage Parkinson’s disease and certain types of seizures, but now, researchers have successfully used it to treat depression for the first time. Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, published a study detailing how they Read More...
Researchers capture first-ever video of the center of a hurricane
None of us, unless we are very unlucky, will ever see first-hand what it looks like at the center of a hurricane. However, new footage from a crewless vessel in the Atlantic Ocean gives us a good idea of what this experience would be like as it has captured some of the only footage from inside a Read More...
Artificial kidneys could one day free patients from dialysis
Currently, the best hope for kidney patients to get off dialysis is to wait for a transplant, but that can sometimes take up to five years and even longer depending on location. That may soon change though, thanks to a new engineering breakthrough from a Bay Area research team, which was recently Read More...
1-in-30 million: Rare orange lobster rescued from Ontario grocery store
Pinchy the lobster is an extraordinary creature that was saved from a very ordinary fate. Unlike other lobsters, Pinchy boasts a bright orange shell that contrasts starkly against its cool colored peers. It sat in the tank amongst other lobsters for two weeks at a grocery store in Ontario’s Read More...
World’s fastest EV charger delivers 100km of range in less than 3 minutes
As EV adoption has soared in recent years, engineers have been hard at work improving charging technologies to put range anxiety to rest, in a bid to convince more potential car buyers to go electric. Now, those technologies are beginning to see the light of day, with the Swiss tech giant ABB Read More...
Upgrade your old cruiser to an electric bike with this easy-to-install kit
If you’re curious about the benefits of an electric bike but lack the needed space or budget to invest in a new cruiser, then Swytch’s e-bike conversion kit might be just what you’re looking for. In addition to being more affordable than buying a new e-bike, the easy-to-install kit also gives Read More...
Synthetic starch saves huge amounts of land and water
You probably use starch while cooking or maybe doing your laundry, but this versatile ingredient has applications in textiles and pharmaceuticals as well. Fortunately, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found a way to produce this good more sustainably. Current starch Read More...
Scientists continue to unravel the medical mystery of identical twins
Dutch scientists have made strides towards uncovering more of the medical mystery that causes some twins to be born identical. Their discovery can help treat congenital disorders that identical twins are disproportionately afflicted with, such as spina bifida. Identical twins form after a zygote Read More...
Scientists develop a snake-inspired battery that could help save lives
Coming from the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, a novel battery design opens up new possibilities for the future of energy storage by bending and stretching like a snake. Inspired by the morphology of serpents, the innovative design is intended to open new doors in the world of soft Read More...
This new ultra-strong glass is inspired by mollusk shells
If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of a broken phone screen, you’ve probably wished there was a more durable material available for electronics. Thanks to researchers from McGill University, that may soon be a reality. The team has developed a new type of glass, inspired by the inner Read More...