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.
Watch the silvery moon turn blood red in this stunning time lapse
The total lunar eclipse that happened on Wednesday was special. For 77 minutes, the moon was bathed in a somber red-orange huge, the result of all the sunrises and sunsets on Earth projecting themselves onto the moon. Better yet, the moon was a “supermoon,” meaning it appeared slightly bigger Read More...
Dubai set to build world’s largest waste-to-energy plant in 2020
The government of Dubai has announced plans to build the world’s largest waste-to-energy plant in the world. When it’s up and running, the plant is expected to treat up to two million tons of solid waste every year, which is about 60 percent of Dubai’s annual garbage production.That will give Read More...
How Whole Foods uses saltwater to cut costs and boost resilience
Whole Foods Market has been using thermal batteries at five stores in California and Hawaii to reduce its electricity bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Now, the grocer is taking a closer look at how these alternative battery storage systems can cut costs and keep food cool in the event of a Read More...
How AI is helping solve Asia’s traffic troubles
Traffic in cities across Asia has become dreadful. To solve this congestion of cars, China’s largest online retailer Alibaba is deploying its cloud-computing power to reshape city traffic. The artificial intelligences makes live traffic predictions, optimizes traffic flow, and detects traffic Read More...
Americans are using less energy than they used to
Americans are using less energy -- paradoxically, by spending more time indoors, according to a new study in the journal Joule. But researchers point out that keeping more lights on was offset by lifestyle changes that kept people inside instead of roaming around offices and retail stores -- like, Read More...
Medical AI may be better at spotting eye disease than doctors
A recent study from researchers at the Singapore National Eye Center (SNEC) shows just how proficient artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming at recognizing certain illnesses. In a study designed to test the performance of deep learning software, built to recognize and classify retinal images, Read More...
Solar energy now creates more jobs in America than any other industry
Solar energy isn't just a tool to reduce emissions and help slow climate change – it's a job creator. According to the most recent National Solar Jobs Census published by The Solar Foundation, the industry creates more jobs than any other sector in the US. In 2010, there were only 93,000 jobs Read More...
Tiny robot marks a step towards using devices in humans
Researchers invented a tiny "minimalist robot" that looks like a caterpillar and can perform a wide range of movements, including jumping, crawling through tunnels, and climbing out of a pool. It is designed to deliver drugs to specific targets in the human Read More...
Why scientists are on a quest to make planet-saving pavement
Pavement may not seem complicated, but it is. Concrete is made of aggregate, tiny bits of sand, crushed stone, and gravel. Asphalt is composed of sand, gravel, and bitumen, a byproduct of oil petroleum production. Both can go into pavement. How much does just obtaining these materials tax the Read More...
What happens if we start solar geo-engineering—and then suddenly stop?
Volcanoes, nuclear war, and solar geo-engineering. With a research portfolio that includes all three, Alan Robock is used to thinking about sudden, catastrophic change. A professor of environmental science at Rutgers University, Robock studies the movement of small particles and liquids through Read More...