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.
This new report debunks one of the biggest myths about electric vehicles
With fossil fuels driving the climate crisis, the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) has obvious benefits for the environment. With that said, there are still people who claim that’s not the case, arguing that the energy used to make the batteries, plus the emissions associated with producing Read More...
New IBM tool quantifies the amount of carbon an individual tree sequesters
Although all trees sequester CO2 as they grow, not all of them do so equally. Depending on their type and their location, trees capture different amounts of carbon. In an effort to measure their exact climate benefits, IBM has developed an AI-based tool that precisely maps trees and shows how Read More...
Snakes assist scientists in studying areas affected by nuclear disasters
In 2011, a 15-meter tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling at Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant, damaging three nuclear reactors in the process. The accident was rated a seven, which is the highest level on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. Now, a decade later, Read More...
Snake venom is the special ingredient in new life-saving super glue
If someone were to ask you to think of a life-saving substance, snake venom is probably low on the list—especially if you’ve read our recent article about snakes in India—but scientists from the Universities of Manitoba, Shantou, and Western Ontario have discovered how this unlikely Read More...
Google Maps launches feature showing which subway cars are least crowded
If you live in New York or Sydney, you will soon be able to use Google Maps to see how busy each transit car is before stepping aboard a train or subway. The new feature is part of a product update announced by Google last week, which will allow users to observe live crowd data on individual Read More...
Cracked phone screens could soon repair themselves thanks to novel material
From a simple cosmetic issue to a completely shattered display, most of us have experienced a broken phone screen at least once. Well, cracked screens might soon become a thing of the past thanks to a team of scientists in India who have developed a self-healing crystalline material that can repair Read More...
These dogs are sniffing out solutions for safer wind farms
Wind turbines are a great source of renewable energy in blustery climates, but like every solution, there are potential risks to be weighed as well. Turbines take a toll on local birds, bats, and insects, and although the effects of turbines on large birds like condors and eagles are well known, we Read More...
How cooling chips are revolutionizing the refrigeration industry
It goes without saying, cooling technologies like air conditioners, freezers, and refrigerators have significantly improved our lives over the last few decades. But the chemicals underlying these technologies have also proved to be very detrimental to the environment, harming the ozone layer and Read More...
World’s second largest steel producer is going green
The amount of carbon dioxide emissions from steel manufacturing is almost double the amount of steel created, which stands at 1.8 billion tons per year. It is thus paramount to clean up the steel industry if the world is to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. In a bid to help us get closer to Read More...
First artificial heart transplant in the US deemed a success
On average, 17 people die each day in the US because they aren’t able to get an organ transplant in time. That’s what makes the emergence of artificial organs such an exciting development in the world of medicine — and that’s also why the news about the successful completion of the first Read More...