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.
Citizen scientists discover two new exoplanets
More than 29,000 people around the world are involved in NASA’s Planet Hunters TESS project. Available through the Zooniverse website, the project enlists citizen scientists to search for new exoplanets by scanning data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). After diligently Read More...
Do cars pass your bike too closely on the road? This taillight has your back
Being a cyclist on the road means trusting drivers to pay attention and give you enough space for your safety and their own. One of the leading causes of car accidents that involve cyclists is when the driver of the motorized vehicle passes too closely to cyclists. Too often vehicles are left Read More...
Got a song stuck in your head? That's your brain solidifying memories
Getting a song stuck in your head, also known as an "earworm," can be annoying for you and those around you. If you find that at times, while doing unrelated tasks like household chores, you are unable to stop yourself from performing the same song over and over again, we have a solution for Read More...
Drones help protect biodiversity on Galápagos Islands by ridding them of rats
The biodiversity of Seymour Norte and Mosquera, two Galápagos Islands, has been threatened for generations by a commonly abhorred pest: rats. Two rat species (the black rat and the Norweigan rat) have disrupted the ecosystems on the islands of Seymour Norte and Mosquera since they arrived on Read More...
Urine tests could accurately diagnose brain tumors early on
In recent years, scientists have increasingly proved the potential of urine tests as a promising technique for non-invasive and effective cancer diagnosis. Last year, we wrote about the impressive efficiency of urine tests in detecting lung cancer early on, and now a new study shows that the Read More...
Retired wind turbine blades get reincarnated into bridges and railway links
Even renewable energy has waste byproducts that become a major recycling problem for the industry. Many wind turbine blades are reaching the end of their lifespan, and plenty more are taken out of service early to be replaced by blades that can produce more energy. This means that by 2023, Read More...
4 Tips to help remote workers find a work-tech balance
The pandemic might appear to be ending, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be saying goodbye to a lot of the mainstays of pandemic life. One of the lasting changes will be remote work, with many companies choosing to make remote work arrangements permanent or to start functioning on a hybrid work plan Read More...
This self-sufficient floating island is designed to clean up our oceans
Here at The Optimist Daily, we have a soft spot for creative solutions to environmental challenges. That’s why we’re happy to share with you the story of the 8th continent — an award-winning design that recycles ocean plastic and is fully self-sustainable. Designed by Lenka Petráková, a Read More...
This mobile device provides refuge to unsheltered people in Ecuador
Earlier this year, we wrote about a thoughtful initiative in the German city of Ulm that saw the installation of a series of pods around the town for unsheltered people to be able to sleep in. A similar project is now taking place in Ecuador, where architecture firm Natura Futura Arquitectura Read More...
This map paints a vivid picture of America’s digital divide
If you’re reading this story on a computer and you live in an area with a reliable broadband network, you might not even consider what life would be like without a consistent WiFi connection. The FCC reports that due to lack of broadband infrastructure or inability to pay for the service, six Read More...