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.
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...
Scientists find bear serum could supercharge our muscles, no exercise required
As many faithful gym-goers, as well as those of us who insist on always using the stairs, would say: if you don’t use it, you lose it. Right? Well, new studies led by scientists from Hiroshima University and Hokkaido University in Japan may point to a way to ensure our muscles retain their Read More...
Earthworms: a natural solution to farms’ wastewater
Royal Dairy in Royal City, Washington has a problem that's common to dairy farms. The hundreds of millions of gallons of water used by their dairy and beef cows eventually become wastewater carrying animal waste, nitrates, and other harmful chemicals into the groundwater which people could one day Read More...
Playing video games benefit key regions of the brain
A recent study from Georgia State University found that sensorimotor decision-making skills were superior in regular video game players to those that didn’t play video games. Gaming in the name of health “Video games are played by the overwhelming majority of our youth for more than three Read More...