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.
TikTok adds features to support users struggling with disordered eating
Social media has allowed us to connect with loved ones far away, follow current events, and engage with different organizations and activists, but it has also opened up concerns over its impact on mental health, especially for young users. TikTok is hoping to address some of the negative impacts of Read More...
29-year-old cancer survivor to become youngest American to go to space
SpaceX is getting ready to send four civilians into orbit aboard its Crew Dragon capsule, and not a single professional astronaut will be on board (say what!?). The trip will happen courtesy of billionaire Jared Isaacman, who purchased the debut commercial astronaut rocket launch from Space X. Read More...
These micromobility vehicles are accessible to people with disabilities
The rapid expansion of micromobility services in recent years has provided residents of many urban areas with a convenient means to get around. The problem, however, is that the vast majority of these micromobility service providers have so far failed to cater to people with disabilities. Now that Read More...
Senators introduce bill to ban fracking in California
While California is known for its progressive reputation on environmental issues, oil continues to be produced in the state using destructive methods such as fracking and acid well stimulation. To put an end to these environmentally-damaging practices, California state senators have introduced a Read More...
Optimist View: Taking Ownership & Choosing A Better Future
“All that you touch you Change. All that you Change, Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change.” - Octavia E. Butler BY KRISTY JANSEN We humans have had and will continue to have a profound effect on this planet and the biosphere. It's no longer debatable and that’s Read More...
MIT researchers are designing a machine to replicate a dog’s sense of smell
We recently shared a story about how robots can alleviate loneliness much like a pet. It turns out that robotics can replicate other great things canines do. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are developing a machine that can emulate a dog’s acute sense of Read More...
NASA’s Perseverance rover lands on Mars to search for extraterrestrial life
In an incredible interplanetary feat, NASA’s Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars on Thursday. The touchdown, which took place on the red planet’s Jezero crater, marks the beginning of the agency’s most ambitious effort to directly investigate whether there was once life on our Read More...
Scientists use AI and smartphones to detect skin cancer highly accurately
The idea of using smartphones to detect potential skin cancers has been around for more than a decade, but until now, the technology hasn’t been advanced enough to challenge the accuracy of a trained dermatologist. Recently, however, researchers at MIT and Harvard developed deep learning Read More...
E-bikes will soon be available on a subscription basis in New York City
While e-bikes hold great potential to replace cars as a healthy way of commuting, they still come at a hefty price. In a bid to make this type of future transport more accessible, electric moped sharing company Revel has recently launched a monthly e-bike subscription service for New Read More...
Four benefits of Virtual Reality that go beyond entertainment
Although virtual reality has only been available to the everyday consumer for a few years now, the technology has progressed by leaps and bounds in terms of actually reaching a believable level of reality--one that we might expect to see in video games and movies. Even though VR is being Read More...