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 project uses beams of light to expand global access to the internet
There are more than 3 billion people in the world who still lack access to the internet. Many of them live in remote areas with rough terrain where deploying conventional internet infrastructure, such as fiber optic cables, is a difficult and expensive undertaking. But X, Alphabet’s moonshot Read More...
Scientists have created a method that turns moon dust into oxygen
As you might expect, supporting human life on the Moon requires breathable oxygen. But there’s only so much that astronauts can take with them, so figuring out how to produce it there is essential. Now, a British company is working on extracting oxygen from moon dust, which could be invaluable Read More...
Clean energy hit record growth in 2020, despite Covid-19
When it comes to new electricity generation in 2020, the fossil fuels sector had a terrible year. Fortunately, the same can’t be said about the renewables sector. According to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 90 percent of new electricity generation is coming from Read More...
Virgin Hyperloop completes first test run with passengers aboard
The promise of hyperloop travel is that it will allow humans to cut down travel time dramatically by using magnetically levitating pods to propel people through near-vacuum tubes. These pods are designed to eventually hit speeds of around 745 mph, which would make it possible to travel from Los Read More...
New power plant uses liquid air to store renewable energy
While batteries are great for short-term energy storage, they are still too expensive to do long-term energy storage. Plus, batteries require minerals that are becoming increasingly scarce as the world moves towards power systems based on variable renewable energy. Fortunately, there is a promising Read More...
City of Austin votes to spend $7 billion to revolutionize transportation
In a city where roughly three-quarters of residents drive alone to work, it’s no surprise that drivers in Austin, Texas, spend an average of 104 hours stuck in traffic each year. One of the main reasons behind this vehicle-mania is the city’s innate car-oriented infrastructure. That’s now Read More...
Diving program teaches kids to document sunken slave ships
In the quest to create a more complete picture of African-American genealogy, an underwater archaeology group called Diving With a Purpose (DWP) focuses on documenting old slave ships that have sunk to the bottom of the sea. Documenting these ships and other artifacts of the transatlantic slave Read More...
Renowned Brazilian pianists regains ability to play thanks to bionic gloves
Due to a mugging incident, it has been more than 20 years since internationally acclaimed pianist João Carlos Martins has played his beloved instrument with 10 fingers. But the Brazilian maestro is finally able to play his favorite Bach sonatas once again thanks to innovative “bionic gloves” Read More...
Washington’s first human compost company is open for business
Washington passed a law in 2019 allowing citizens to compost themselves after death for a more sustainable burial process. Fast forward a year later and the first human composting company is open for business in the state. Called Recompose, the company was instrumental in passing the 2019 law Read More...
Study: psilocybin therapy 4 times more effective than antidepressants
In 2020, Oregon voted to become the first state to legalize access to psilocybin for all adults. A study reinforces the idea that voters made a sensible decision. The preliminary human trials investigated the effect of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat the major depressive disorder Read More...