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.
This might be the real reason why we have eyebrows
Eyebrows are one of the most curious features of the human body. Just look at them—isn’t it strange that we have two strips of hair hovering above our eyes? The theory goes that eyebrows are there to keep sweat and other debris from entering our eyes, but now scientists have another intriguing Read More...
The search for renewable energy storage just had a vital breakthrough
If we want to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, we have to become smarter about the way we store the energy we make from renewable sources. Our current batteries aren’t capable of storing mass quantities of energy that can be used on-demand, but that may soon change thanks to an incredible Read More...
Flying in an all-electric plane may become the norm in less than a decade
While most startups that are working on electrifying the aviation industry are focused on building hybrid planes, an Israeli startup is putting all the energy towards creating all-electric planes. Their reasoning is simple: all-electric planes will make flights as affordable as possible. Electric Read More...
New evidence that fossil fuels are getting crushed in the battle against renewables
The world added more solar power capacity than any other type of energy in 2017, outpacing all fossil fuels, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme Read More...
Instead of storing carbon, researchers want to convert it into fuel
Currently, carbon capture typically involves grabbing carbon-dioxide emissions from sources like coal-fired power plants, then storing them underground so they can’t enter the atmosphere and heat the planet. But wouldn’t it be so much better if we could actually use the carbon we captured for Read More...
Faced with global warming, aviation aims to turn green
Will we someday be able to fly without the guilt of causing environmental damage? A handful of firms and regulators hope that the electric revolution in cars will also take to the skies, helping the industry cope with an expected boom in travel and reduce greenhouse gas Read More...
This startup wants to pull water out of thin air using solar energy
Technology already exists that can produce water out of thin air by cooling it and condensing the water vapor in it. This is mainly being used for irrigation or industrial purposes, but now it may become something that is available for household use in two years time. That’s because a startup has Read More...
Portugal generated enough renewable energy to power the whole country in March
Portugal’s renewable electricity production exceeded monthly consumption for what is likely the first time, in March, according to the nation’s transmission system operator, REN. The average renewable generation for the month exceeded 103 percent of consumption, beating out the last record Read More...
We drove a $57,500 Tesla Model 3 and a $43,000 Chevy Bolt to see which is better
Last year, we were so impressed by the Chevy Bolt that we named it a 2017 Car of the Year runner-up. Early this year, we spent some time getting to know the hotly anticipated Tesla Model 3. We haven't yet properly reviewed the Tesla Model 3, but we will later this year. In the meantime, we Read More...
UPS is showing us that mass integration of plug-in electric vehicles is possible
While it’s good news that UPS is switching to an all-electric fleet in London, a switch like that can still provide major headaches for utility companies. Fortunately, UPS is using on-site batteries and smart-grid software to time the recharging of its 170 electric trucks so that it occurs when Read More...