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.
Wildlife researchers scour Costa Rica’s highways to help reduce roadkill
Costa Rica is a jewel of a country, and one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Residing in its mountains, jungles, and beaches are approximately half a million animal and plant species. Although Costa Rica is a leader in conservation, it also has the highest density of roads in Read More...
Study shows: if we biked like the Dutch, global emissions would drop dramatically
A new study from researchers at the University of Southern Denmark has determined what we already knew— cycling is much better for the environment than driving conventional internal combustion vehicles. The study took a look at the bike-loving Dutch, and quantified just how much global carbon Read More...
Are hydrogen fuel cell cars a better choice than plug-in EVs?
There is no doubt that The Optimist Daily is excited about the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads. In the US, infrastructure for plug-in EVs has been fleshed out in many regions, easing drivers’ range anxiety. With new tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, we can expect Read More...
Chicago pledges to run all city operations with clean energy
As countries large and small struggle with the undeniable impacts of climate change, more and more cities are taking a lead in mapping out strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One particularly fruitful avenue to follow involves stamping out the excessive burning of fossil fuels. Well, the Read More...
VR tech helps international team of surgeons separate twins with fused brains
In miraculous medical news, virtual reality (VR) has helped surgeons successfully separate conjoined twins with craniopagus. Craniopagus describes a condition where twins are born with fused brains. It is an incredibly rare condition, and—this probably goes without saying—extremely challenging Read More...
Study suggests an underripe banana a day lowers risk of a range of cancers
A new longitudinal study spanning almost two decades has produced some intriguing results regarding resistant starch. What you ask, is 'resistant starch'? It is a digestion-resistant molecule present in many everyday foods like oats, peas, beans, and slightly underripe bananas. And, it may be a Read More...
Revealing the history of the earliest transoceanic seafarers
A study carried out by geneticists at Harvard University, in collaboration with Indigenous communities, has revealed five previously undocumented migrations around remote Pacific islands. These people were the world’s earliest transoceanic seafarers, being able to navigate long journeys across Read More...
What vampire bats teach us about friendship
There are still biological and behavioral mysteries to social bonding that experts are trying to figure out. With so many factors at play it can be hard to put a fine point on why we do some things and not others to get close to one another. Sometimes, it pays to look at other examples of mammalian Read More...
The mystery of glowing deep sea coral is a mystery no longer
The dark depths of the ocean are still shrouded in mystery for us humans. Despite our species’ tenacious approach to figuring it all out, we have yet to understand so many facets and elements of the planet we call home. That said, curious researchers from the School of Zoology, the Read More...
Cooling bamboo system is a green alternative to air conditioning
As is happening all over the planet, the number of sweltering days affecting people each year in Vietnam has grown significantly in recent years as a result of climate change. Using air conditioning may help reduce people’s exposure to life-threatening hot temperatures. The problem is, always Read More...