Today’s Solutions: September 21, 2024

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.

Test tube row. Concept of medical or science laboratory

Magnets rapidly remove dangerous "forever chemicals" from water

Australia-based scientists have devised an exciting new method for eliminating dangerous "forever chemicals" from water. When a solution is added to contaminated water, it covers the contaminants and renders them magnetic, allowing them to be easily attracted and isolated. Per- and Read More...

Overlooking the solar photovoltaic panels and agricultural planting temperature shed

New solar panels harness the full light spectrum to improve crop yields

Crops and clean energy are increasingly sharing the same land as the globe struggles to deal with the climate problem and transitions to renewables and agrivoltaics — the cultivation of crops beneath the shade of solar panels. Scientists are now investigating how to harness the sun's light Read More...

Friends playing american football on beach

Looking to boost your health? Spend more time with friends

One of the more startling findings in relationship science is that both romantic love and platonic friendship, though very different relationships, typically begin the same way — with a spark. But what comes next? According to relationship specialists, we frequently prioritize our romantic Read More...

Traffic in downtown Chicago with people, train, car and bus

US reveals the “Blueprint”: a plan to entirely decarbonize transportation

The United States Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency have produced a much-needed Blueprint for decarbonizing the entire US transportation system. It is hoped that the policy will reduce all greenhouse gas emissions from the Read More...

Underwater inside the kelp forest in the ocean 

Secrets of the sea: hidden underwater forests may help fight climate crisis

The Nature Conservancy's marine biologist Frank Hurd spends his days amongst gigantic kelp curtains, studying underwater forests. One of his usual diving haunts is a kelp forest off Anacapa Island, one of the Channel Islands national park's protected rocky volcanic islets off southern Read More...

part of Earth seen from space with lens flare sun and space

UN report shows ozone layer may be fully restored within four decades

A United Nations assessment indicates that the ozone layer may recover within a few decades with the help of human intervention. According to the BBC, the analysis reveals that the 1987 multinational agreement to prohibit the use of dangerous chemicals that deplete the ozone layer was a Read More...

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

2022's most optimistic climate stories

These days, it’s easy to sink into feelings of climate anxiety and eco-grief. However, this past year brought us a number of good climate stories that encourage us not to lose hope! Renewables are expected to produce more energy than coal in the United States. Hydropower, wind, and solar Read More...

Happy fingers forming a hand heart on a bright sunny view of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, USA

22 reasons for optimism in 2022 (part II)

Here are eleven more good things that happened in 2022 that gave us cause to hope and celebrate. If you haven’t read part I yet, click here to check it out. Wordlemania hit hard In 2022, the number everyone was begging to hear was your Wordle score. Though the game where you try to predict a Read More...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk

22 reasons for optimism in 2022 (part I)

Here are eleven good things that happened in 2022 that gave us cause to hope and celebrate. Ukraine still stands Russian President Vladimir Putin and most others expected Ukraine to succumb to Russian control within days of his late February invasion. Few foresaw the force of the Ukrainian Read More...

blind woman with glasses sits on couch and looks to the side

These AI glasses tell blind users what they’re looking at

Back in 2014, Google put a wearable device called Google Glass on the commercial market. Google Glass was meant to give users a hands-free way to view content, make calls, and access social media platforms, all while carrying on with whatever tasks they had on hand. The Google Glass technology was Read More...