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.
The wheelchair has finally received a smart update
The wheelchair has been pivotal in bringing mobility back to people who suffer from paralysis. That said, wheelchair technology hasn’t really evolved since the 1980s, so an update is long overdue. Recently, a Scottish design firm Phoenix Instinct revealed a lightweight wheelchair made of Read More...
Tiny drone uses a live moth antenna to sniff out chemicals in the air
Augmenting drones so they could detect chemicals in the air, locating disaster survivors, explosives, gas leaks and other objects of interest has long been on the R&D agenda of mechanical engineers. One of the biggest hurdles, however, is that most human-made sensors are not sensitive or fast Read More...
Foggy windshields? Here’s how to defog them in no time
For all the cozy things we associate with wintertime, there are some particularly frustrating aspects as well. Foggy car windshields in the morning are one of them! The fog that forms on a windshield is actually condensation. It’s created when water vapor in the air near the glass falls below Read More...
The world’s biggest wind turbines are coming to the New England coast
America’s known for having an appreciation for all things big, so it may not be surprising that the first ‘commercial scale' offshore wind farm in the US will be home to the biggest and most powerful wind turbines the world has ever seen. The wind farm will be located 15 miles off the Read More...
This company is using beer and chips to slash emissions
In a bid to drastically cut down on emissions, British snack food manufacturer Walkers is summoning the power of potato chips and beer. Yes, you read that right. What the company is doing is utilizing new technology to capture carbon dioxide from beer fermentation in a brewery, which is then Read More...
Bank of America officially says no to financing Arctic drilling
One word: Finally. Bank of America has just become the last major US financial institution to declare that they will no longer finance any oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. The decision, which was announced to Bloomberg News on Monday, comes after Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Chase, Wells Read More...
Jupiter and Saturn will appear to collide this winter solstice
During this year's winter solstice on December 21st, two of our solar system’s largest planets will appear to collide for the first time since the Middle Ages. This event, featuring Jupiter and Saturn, will show the two planets at one super bright spot of light in our skies. Although the Read More...
Hyundai announces EV only production platform
Hyundai, the world’s fifth-largest auto group, has announced a major move forward in the transition to all-electric vehicles. The South Korean car company will launch an electric vehicle-only platform in 2021 with its own battery technology to cut production time and costs for these greener Read More...
Experimental study finds CBD alone doesn’t impair driving ability
The two most prominent chemicals in cannabis are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is primarily associated with the plant’s psychoactive euphoric effects, while CBD is non-psychoactive and has been found to treat various medical conditions from epilepsy to anxiety. As the Read More...
14 nations come together to launch plan to safeguard our oceans
In 2018, a panel of world leaders was established with the goal of creating a plan to achieve a ‘sustainable ocean economy’ in which our precious oceans are guarded against exploitation. The panel featured a mix of 14 developed and developing nations from around the world, including Norway, Read More...