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.
96-year-old physicist to revolutionize the way we harness solar power
At 96, Arthur Ashkin became the oldest person ever to receive the Nobel Prize. Now he's using his savvy in physics to make the world better by seeking to revolutionize the way we harness solar energy. Ashkin’s lifelong fascination with light has led him to his latest invention – a device that Read More...
In the future, small electronic devices could be powered by static energy
When you think of static energy, you probably think of the little zap your randomly feel when you touch a doorknob. But now it seems the relatively unknown forces behind static energy might present a path to more sustainable, longer-lasting power sources for small electronic devices, according to a Read More...
Boeing just tested its first ‘flying car’
Boeing has successfully tested its experimental all-electric autonomous ‘flying car’. A prototype of its pilotless passenger air vehicle completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the test. Propelled by electricity, the model is designed for fully autonomous flight and has a range Read More...
This wind turbine generates energy without the need for blades
A Spanish company is proposing a radical new way to generate wind energy: creating wind turbines that have no blades. Their wind turbine, which they call the Vortex, looks like a giant rolled joint shooting into the sky. Unlike conventional turbines which use wind gusts to create energy, the Vortex Read More...
Exciting breakthrough in cancer research will improve T-cell cancer therapy
Scientists have discovered a method for creating renewable cancer-killing T cells in laboratory conditions, which could be used directly in patients for cancer treatments. T cell therapies currently use a patient’s own T cells, but this costs lots of time and money to do. That’s why this Read More...
The ESA’s plans to mine the moon could lead to greater space expeditions
Following a new study that showed there could be water deep under the Moon’s surface, the European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to start mining for water and oxygen on the Moon by 2025. The extraction of these natural resources could potentially make it easier for humans to spend time on the Read More...
Could this new blood test lead to the cure to Alzheimer’s?
The inability to detect Alzheimer’s early is one main reason pharmaceutical companies have not been able to develop a drug to combat the disease, which is the most common form of dementia. That’s why it’s great news that researchers have just developed a simple blood test that shows evidence Read More...
Astronauts could soon be eating veggies in space instead of freeze-dried foods
With the International Space Station (ISS) set to retire within a decade, conversation is brewing about a possible lunar base on the moon. With much more space to work with than on board the ISS, that opens up the possibility of building pods where veggies can be grown. Currently NASA is teaming up Read More...
New device turns CO2 from the air into electricity and hydrogen fuel
Following the urgent environmental need to not only cut down carbon emissions but also capture existing CO2 from the atmosphere, scientists have developed a new device that absorbs the gas from the air and transforms it into electricity and usable hydrogen fuel. The device works like a big liquid Read More...
Nearly three-quarters of new power capacity in India came from renewables
Of all the power generation capacity that India added to its grid in 2018, 74 percent of that capacity was based on renewable energies. Not that this is a new record for India in terms of new capacity addition, but it also shows just how committed the country is towards transitioning to 100 percent Read More...