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.
Charging your phone on a street bench in Budapest
Roads can be used to capture solar energy. There are many initiatives in that direction including solar roadways, Wattway, solar bike paths and Pavegen. A Budapest startup joins these projects with a very practical approach. The company has developed a modular, self-contained paving panel that Read More...
Electric vehicle sales are up 45 percent over the last year
Electric vehicles (EVs) are fast outgrowing their reputation as a niche market, according to InsideEVs’ recent report of EV and hybrid car sales in the United States. The most notable data from the report is the 45 percent increase in EV sales from July 2016 to Read More...
L.A. spends $138 million on electric buses, wants emission-free fleet by 2030
Southern California’s biggest transit agency retired its last diesel bus six years ago, capping a 15-year process to replace tailpipes that belched black smoke with quieter, cleaner engines powered by natural gas. Now, Los Angeles County transportation leaders are working toward a bolder Read More...
Lyft creates self-driving car unit
Lyft said Friday that it is setting up its own unit to develop autonomous vehicle technology, but its approach will be different from other companies and partnerships working on self-driving cars. The San Francisco-based ride-hailing service said it will open its network, inviting automakers and Read More...
India introduces electric buses that can swap batteries at ‘gas stations’
India is moving fast towards the electric car future. The country has committed to only sell electric cars from 2030 onwards. And here’s a promising project of one of the country’s leading truck-makers with an ambitious upstart to develop a battery swapping system for electric buses. The Read More...
Can geothermal energy from the earth compete with the sun?
A new startup is drastically reducing the cost of installing geothermal systems to provide residential buildings with heating and cooling from the ground. Once installed the systems provide free heating and cooling. But the investment at $80,000 and upwards has been an obstacle for widespread Read More...
You can drive the 2018 Nissan Leaf with just one pedal
Regenerative braking is one of the most interesting and differentiating features of electric vehicles. While virtually all electric cars on the market have it, the feature is tuned differently for each vehicle. Now Nissan promises one of the most advanced regenerative braking systems for the Read More...
European Investment Bank commits €4.3 billion to renewable energy
The European Investment Bank has this week approved new financing worth a total of €12.4 billion for projects all over the world, including €4.3 billion for new renewable energy and security of energy supply schemes. The European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union’s bank, announced on Read More...
The coal truth: how a major energy source lost its power in Britain
Once the engine of the Industrial Revolution and employer of nearly 1.2 million people, the fall of old king coal in the UK has been precipitous. Only five years ago, the fuel was generating more than 40% of the UK’s electricity, but new analysis by Imperial College London reveals coal supplied Read More...
Audi examines how we'll spend our time in self-driving cars
Self-driving technology promises to dramatically change the way we interact with our cars, and in ways we're not entirely sure of yet. Audi has teamed up with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering to explore how people will spend their time in autonomous cars, and how manufacturers Read More...