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.
French car-pool app Blablacar branching into bus lines
French car ride-sharing app Blablacar said on Monday it had offered to buy Ouibus, a bus operator owned by state rail firm SNCF, in the first major departure from its digital business model toward building a broader transport company. Blablacar did not disclose financial terms but said it had also Read More...
Scientists have invented a window coating that could cut air-conditioning costs
Scientists at MIT have discovered a see-through film that rejects 70 percent of the sun’s incoming heat. The material is thermochromic, meaning that it changes color in response to heat, getting darker at higher temperatures. Sticking it on windows could potentially make air-conditioners, which Read More...
From German trains to Korean buses, hydrogen fuel is back in the energy picture
Jorgo Chatzimarkakis was refueling his hydrogen fuel-cell car at one of the 50-plus refueling stations scattered around Germany when a Tesla driver, who was recharging his own car, approached. The man was excited to see a hydrogen-powered car in action, and was brimming with Read More...
The UK’s renewable sector surpasses fossil fuels in terms of generating power
Britain is showing unprecedented progress in its quest to become carbon-neutral by 2050. A new report shows that renewables in the country have set a new record with 42 gigawatts of capacity, overtaking the 40.6 gigawatts available from fossil fuels. The report also shows that the leading sources Read More...
Nikola Motor unveils a new hydrogen semi-truck designed for Europe
Nikola Motor has started taking reservations for Tre, the startup’s first hydrogen-electric truck built for the European market. Nikola Motor, which less than a year ago announced plans to build a $1 billion hydrogen-electric semi truck factory in a suburb of Phoenix, said it’s in the Read More...
How the humble lamp-post could help power our cities
As more than two-thirds of us will be living in cities by 2050, scientists and tech firms are looking at new ways to harness renewable energy within the built environment. But at what cost? One day, your office windows will be harvesting energy from the sun, while the lamp-post down in the street Read More...
Archaeologists are one step closer to uncovering how the pyramids were built
The question of how the great pyramids were built is one of the greatest mysteries of time. Now archaeologists are one step closer to solving the puzzle after making a chance discovery in an ancient Egyptian quarry. Have a look here to see what they found, and how it might explain how those huge Read More...
Swedish scientists may have found the answer to solar energy storage
Scientists have developed a specialized fluid that can help the solar industry overcome the issue of energy storage. The fluid, which has been called a solar thermal fuel, can store energy from the sun for well over a decade by trapping the solar heat between its chemical bonds. When the energy is Read More...
Tesla is getting closer to delivering a truly self-driving car
Tesla owners have been presented with a new upgrade designed to augment their diving experience. By accepting the software update drivers will equip their cars with the ability to “Navigate on Autopilot”. This new feature allows the car to give driving suggestions, such as changing lanes, Read More...
China has record electric car sales month
After a few months threatening to break the all-time record (102,635 units, set last December), the Chinese plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market finally hit a new high, with some 104,900 plug-in vehicles being registered in September, up 66 percent and in line with previous months’ growth Read More...