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.
Why AI is humanity's best friend in the fight against coronavirus
With the fight against coronavirus still ongoing, scientists and medics are working as quickly as possible to find a cure. According to some organizations, the answer to a cure for coronavirus (and possibly any future disease) may be hiding in the dense networks of artificial Read More...
Canada to start building its largest solar farm ever this year
A recent $500 million investment from Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) will begin one of Canada’s most ambitious renewable energy projects to date. With the investment, the province of Alberta will start building 1.5 million solar panels along the southern borders of Canada Read More...
Her0 Zero airplane concept offers a projection into the eco-future of aircrafts
Air travel accounts for 2.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions so the pressure is huge on airline companies to come up with more sustainable aircraft in order to reduce the industry’s environmental impact. Enter the Her0 Zero, a futuristic airplane that could be key to achieving zero-carbon Read More...
Michael Pollan’s audiobook Caffeine explains the world’s most common drug
We featured psychedelic researcher and author Michael Pollan during our Marvelous Mushrooms week. Now he is back to explain why we have caffeine cravings and why being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean giving up coffee. For his new audiobook, Caffeine, Pollan went cold turkey on caffeine for Read More...
Producing clean energy from rain could soon be possible
After many attempts, scientists may have finally figured out how to generate electricity using rain. What they have created is a generator that uses what is called a field-effect transistor-style structure that produces a surprisingly high voltage from water drops—a single drop can create Read More...
These semi-transparent solar cells could make greenhouse self-sufficient
Greenhouses and solar panels both need to be placed in areas with a lot of sunlight – so why not combine the two? Semi-transparent solar cells could potentially be built into the glass roof panels of greenhouses, capturing light at wavelengths that plants don’t use anyway. Now, researchers at Read More...
The UK is moving forward its ban of new gas-powered cars by 5 years
The UK had a ban in place that would make it illegal to sell new petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars in the country from 2040 onward, but now that plan being amended…for the better. Under new government plans, the UK will bring the ban forward from 2040 to 2035 at the latest. The change comes after Read More...
Will RNA editing be the health tool of the future?
You might have heard of DNA editing before - maybe through its potential for its therapeutic technique on people or its more controversial side through gene editing. DNA editing is by no means a recent discovery as its first developments date back to 2011, but since then a lot has been promised Read More...
Reverse solar panel could generate power at night
One of the current problems we face with solar panels is that they don’t generate electricity if the bright sun isn’t shining directly at them. This problem becomes evident when it’s night time. During the night, solar panels are simply in a standstill, and buildings have to rely on the Read More...
Shipping companies want to cut emissions. This biofuel might do the trick
Despite that we’re in the early stages of 2020, it’s already been a momentous year for the shipping industry's commitment to cleaning up its act. On Jan. 1, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ordered the world’s shipping fleet, which accounts for 3 percent of global greenhouse gas Read More...