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.
Four strategies to make solar panels even more sustainable
Solar energy is a renewable source with fairly high reliability and scalability, but even the best solutions have some drawbacks. In the case of solar, the panels themselves are emissions-intensive to produce and require mined silicon, glass, and aluminum. As we continue to improve the Read More...
The Optimist View: Building Circularity into Electric Vehicles
To eliminate the concept of waste means to design things-products, packaging, and systems-from the very beginning on the understanding that waste does not exist. - William McDonough BY Kristy Jansen and Sam Suh Earlier this year, I became the proud owner of an all-electric car一a used Read More...
Gold-covered weather station raises awareness about the climate crisis
In recent decades, meteorological stations across the Alps have recorded a declining amount of snowy days — a phenomenon that goes hand in hand with growing rates of glaciers melting in the region. In an effort to raise awareness about global warming and the existential threat it poses, artist Read More...
These green SUP boards are made from retired turbine blades
Many surfers, divers, and others ocean lovers hold a strong desire to protect our marine environments from pollution and warming. However, some of the equipment these ocean enthusiasts use are not made of sustainable or eco-friendly substances. For instance, stand-up paddleboards, while Read More...
The Ocean Cleanup deploys largest trash-collecting system thus far
Since it first undertook the daunting task of ridding our oceans of plastic debris in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup has made numerous tweaks to its trash-catching barrier system — and the latest one may be the most important yet. The most recent update involves an active propulsion system rather than Read More...
Can't stand the heat? This new fabric will cool wearers down
Let’s face it—it’s getting pretty hot out here, and we’re going to have to adapt to these warming temperatures. Luckily, engineers Ma Yaoguang and Tao Guangming, from Zhejiang University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology respectively, have invented a textile that cools Read More...
The world’s first all-electric tugboat to put to sea in 2023
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), maritime transport emits around 940 million tonnes of CO2 annually and is responsible for about 2.5 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As engineers are working to green up cargo ships with the help of low-carbon fuels, Read More...
This shapeshifting bulletproof material is inspired by Batman
New shape-shifting material developed by scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and Caltech in the US was inspired by ancient chainmail armor and Batman’s cape-turned-glider from the 2005 Batman Begins. The fabric, which is described by the team as a type of “wearable Read More...
This platform redirects power to critical sites during an outage
When a winter storm hit Texas in February, it has brought some of the coldest weather the state has seen in decades. The deep freeze led to a massive electricity generation failure, leaving millions of people without power for several days. The ensuing power crisis revealed multiple problems with Read More...
This climate-friendly cooling unit cuts the CO2 footprint of HVAC by 75%
As the world keeps getting warmer, air conditioners are likely to become an increasingly common element of home design. With that said, these appliances are themselves a burden on the environment because they’re so energy-hungry. The same goes for heaters that are intended to keep us warm during Read More...