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.
See-through solar cells will enable office buildings to produce their own energy
Houses and office buildings account for 75 percent of electricity use in the United States, and 40 percent of its energy use overall. The perfect solution for buildings would be to use their windows for the generation of the energy they need. That would require the “miracle” of see-through Read More...
World's first offshore wind battery installed at floating farm
A revolutionary battery has been successfully installed at the Hywind Scotland, the world's first floating offshore wind farm located about 15 miles off the Aberdeenshire coast. With the 1.2-megawatt storage system known as "Batwind" in operation, it will be possible for the first time to Read More...
Shell-Partners consortium ready to build Dutch offshore wind farm
A consortium led by Swiss investor Partners Group and Royal Dutch Shell said it has secured financing for the building of a 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) wind farm in the Dutch part of the North Read More...
An unexpected renewable energy powerhouse: Mauritania
Blessed with rich minerals and waters brimming with fish, Mauritania is awash with natural resources worth their weight in gold. But the West African country also knows how to diversify its resources by investing in renewable energy. The country produces almost 40 percent of its energy from clean Read More...
A ferry that runs on hydrogen fuel cells is coming to San Francisco
After Tom Escher took over his family’s century-old ferry company in 1997, he wanted to buy a zero-emissions vessel that could whisk tourists around San Francisco without spewing harmful pollutants. Escher, who is 71, said he worried about the health of his four grandchildren and the Read More...
'Electrogeochemistry' captures carbon, produces fuel, offsets ocean acidification
Limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius will require not only reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, but also active removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This conclusion from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has prompted heightened interest in "negative emissions Read More...
Antarctica rises and that’s good news for climate change
Most news from Antarctica is about rapid ice loss and record-setting icebergs breaking loose, feeding into a vicious cycle that speeds up global warming. On average, Antarctica is losing more than 175 billion tons of ice each year since 2012, including a chunk the size of Delaware last year. But Read More...
Coming soon to cities: one transit app to rule them all
For commuters in Chicago, Boston, LA, and New York, Cubic’s new app will let you buy tickets for multiple different transit systems in one place, so you can easily plan trips that don’t involve a Read More...
‘Stonehenge builders used Pythagoras' theorem 2,000 years before he was born’
A new book has re-examined the ancient geometry of Stonehenge and concludes the monument was constructed by sophisticated astronomers who understood lengthy lunar, solar and eclipse cycles and built huge stone calendars using complex Read More...
New heat pump technology heats and cools houses at lower cost
There have been a number of heat pump technologies we've covered over the years, from the basic ground source heat pumps (which Lloyd has criticized on more than one occasion for being good at cooling, but not so much at heating) to tapping heat from sewage pipes or even our clothes Read More...