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.
A look inside the race to create functional artificial blood
Someone in the US needs a blood transfusion, alluding to the importance of blood supplies to modern healthcare. The problem is blood is in incredibly short supply, and the pandemic has only made things worse due to the forced cancellation of many collection drives. That’s why there has been a Read More...
Google promises to operate using only carbon-free energy by 2030
This week, Google announced that it will go beyond its commitment to offset its carbon footprint with renewable energy generation and will strive to power its data centers and offices using solely carbon-free electricity by 2030. To put this commitment in perspective, Google consumes slightly Read More...
This lab is using AI to spot wildfires just minutes after they start
Most fire services rely on human spotters to identify and report new blazes, but Descartes Lab, a Santa Fe-based startup, aims to revolutionize the wildfire reporting process using cloud-based AI to identify fire outbreaks minutes after they happen. The lab uses AI to analyze huge amounts of Read More...
Japan’s space agency to capture ultra-detailed images of Martian moons
Last week, we published a story coming out of Chile where scientists are building a camera so powerful it can spot a golf ball 15 miles away. The camera can snap 3,200-megapixel images and is meant to help us unlock some of the universe’s biggest mysteries. In related news out of Japan, the Read More...
Surfers are attaching Smartfins to their boards to collect data
With scientists in need of more data about the warming of our oceans, a US-based nonprofit has come up with a nifty solution: giving data-collecting “smart” surfboard fins to surfers. Surfboards typically have fins to improve stability. By including sensors into the fins, now it’s possible Read More...
The world’s first portable MRI machine is here
Traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines are expensive, large, and energy-intensive, but a new prototype from Hyperfine could revolutionize the field of diagnostic medicine with the world’s first portable MRI machine. Not only is it portable, but the machine is also 20 times Read More...
Volvo repurposing old electric bus batteries for energy storage
While electric vehicles are certainly greener than their gas-guzzling counterparts, the environmental benefits of owning an electric car, go to waste if EV batteries aren’t properly disposed of or repurposed. Battery waste is toxic waste, and the more EVs are driven, the more used batteries we Read More...
Portugal is no longer extracting fossil fuels on their soil
We recently shared an inspiring article about a group of young Portuguese activists taking 33 countries to court over climate change inaction. Today we also get to share that the country has canceled its last two remaining fossil fuel contracts, meaning Portugal is no longer extracting fossil fuels Read More...
Great Barrier Reef seafloor mapping reveals new species and rare samples
The Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor embarked on its fourth expedition this year to explore the deepest regions of the Great Barrier Reef. At 1,820 meters deep, the researchers discovered five new species of corals and sponges and took the first sample of the 40 and 50 million year Read More...
Map shows the natural areas we must protect to mitigate climate change
The world’s population has exploded and expanded over the past century, but more than half of the earth is still in a natural or semi-natural state. Protecting these untouched areas is critical for mitigating climate change, so the Global Safety Net project has created an interactive map of both Read More...