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.
Dog owner 3D-prints halo to help his blind dog avoid head trauma
When an 18-year-old dog named Sienna lost her eyesight, she started colliding into door frames and walls. Her owner, Chad Lalande, feared she might suffer from head trauma as a result, which is why he harnessed the power of his brand-new 3D printer to create prototypes of a device known as a Read More...
Elon Musk announces $100m competition for carbon removal technologies
Carbon capture technologies have proven their potential to help accelerate the transition towards a post-carbon future. But one of the main problems preventing the solution’s widespread implementation is that the tech is still relatively expensive and unproven at scale. In a bid to foster Read More...
Robert Downey Jr launches venture fund to invest in sustainable tech
Last year, actor Robert Downey Jr of ‘Iron Man’ launched the FootPrint Coalition, an organization dedicated to using high-tech innovations to tackle environmental problems. As part of that effort, the actor and activist, has now announced the launch of the FootPrint Coalition Ventures, a series Read More...
Zipline is using drones to deliver frozen vaccines to remote clinics
One of the most challenging aspects of transporting and maintaining Covid-19 vaccines is that they need to be stored in frozen temperatures. The Pfizer vaccine, for instance, must be stored at a bone-chilling minus 70 degrees Celsius. This makes transporting the vaccines to remote locations a Read More...
Zero-carbon flying: Rolls-Royce tests 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuels
As the aviation industry seeks to transition towards a post-carbon future, airplane manufactures are working in high gear to find greener alternatives to dirty jet fuel. One of the latest feats in this endeavor comes from Rolls-Royce engineers, who have begun testing the viability of using 100 Read More...
MIT study: Cyborg spinach plants send emails when detecting explosives
Spinach is often touted as a superfood for its extraordinary nutritional profile. But the leafy vegetable’s abilities to impress go beyond nutrition — as recently demonstrated by MIT researchers who hacked the spinach plant to send emails. You heard that right, in a bid to break the Read More...
Empire State Realty Trust now powered entirely by wind energy
New York City’s iconic Empire State Building and its other affiliated buildings are all now powered entirely by wind, making it the country’s largest real estate user of 100 percent green energy. Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) has recently signed a three-year contract with sustainable energy Read More...
New bike lane construction bill in D.C. aims to boost cycling and safety
Last September, Washington D.C. passed the Vision Zero Enhancement Omnibus Amendment Act of 2019. The law, modeled after one in Cambridge, Massachusetts, takes a novel approach to designated bike lane development and is expected to boost bicycle use and safety in the city. How does it work? Let’s Read More...
Scientists create artificial aorta to reduce the need for heart transplants
An injury to the heart often requires a transplant of the entire organ, but a new invention from scientists at EPFL (Switzerland) could relieve the pressure of a damaged heart so that it could heal itself. When a heart is wounded, it will patch itself up with scar tissue to keep its structure Read More...
One Bicycle Foundation empowers students with just two wheels
Sebouh Bazikian started Bikes 4 Orphans when he was just 16 years old. Despite still being in high school, he partnered successfully with Serving Orphans Worldwide to provide bicycles to youth in Zimbabwe for transportation and improved quality of life. Now, nearly 10 years later, Bazikian is Read More...