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 solar paint produces hydrogen from moisture in the air
Scientists have developed a new solar paint technology that uses sunlight to split water molecules to produce hydrogen. The paint can absorb water vapor in the air because it contains a substance like the silica gel packs that are used to keep moisture out of items like medicines and electronics. Read More...
Michelin unveils Vision 3D-printed, recyclable, biodegradable concept tire
Michelin has unveiled its Vision concept tire at the 2017 Movin' On conference in Montreal. The airless tire-and-wheel in one – a "tweel," if you will – is made from organic, bio-sourced materials that are both recyclable and biodegradable. Its tread is rechargeable via 3D printing, which Read More...
Lyft sets goal of 1 billion autonomous electric rides per year by 2025
Lyft has set itself some concrete goals for its renewed commitment to the Paris climate agreement, in spite of Trump’s announcement that the U.S. as a nation would be pulling out of the accord. Those goals focus primarily on Lyft’s autonomous ambitions, and so are contingent on the ride hailing Read More...
Want to insulate your home? Try chicken feathers (there are plenty)
Waste presents opportunities to create more value and make money. The only requirement: creativity. Here’s a good example: Since we are not yet all vegetarians, a lot of chickens are killed for food—some 50 billion each year. In fact, chicken is set to overtake beef, pork, and fish as the Read More...
Wind, solar, energy efficiency replaces coal generation in UK
Wind, solar and energy efficiency have replaced the vast majority of power previously provided by the UK’s coal fleet, a new analysis shows. Since the start of the coalition government in 2010, coal’s role in the generation mix has fallen to historic lows, culminating in the Read More...
Oil giants need to invest heavily in renewables by 2035, says analysis
More than a fifth of investment by the largest oil and gas companies could be in wind and solar power in just over a decade, according to analysis of how global changes in energy will reshape the sector. Slowing demand for oil and forecasts of rapid growth in renewables posed both a threat and and Read More...
Google shows your neighbor has solar panels: What do you do?
What makes people decide to put solar panels on their roof? Surveys show it’s not their age, their race, their level of income, or their political affiliation. The determining factor is whether their neighbors did it first. Now Google is putting this finding into practice. Next week the Read More...
Necessity is the mother of invention: the bike is celebrating its 200th birthday
This week, 200 years ago, Karl von Drais rode his Laufsmaschine for the first time. The German baron rode his two-wheeled invention, a bicycle without pedals, five miles from the center of Mannheim and back in less than an hour—much faster than a horse. And that was the point. At the time the Read More...
A comeback for the electricity technology once championed by Thomas Edison
More than 100 years ago scientists and business leaders feuded over the incipient U.S. electrical grid: Should it rely on alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC)? Both are used to transmit electricity—DC flows steadily in one direction, whereas AC varies direction periodically. Thomas Read More...
Solar farms are helping rural Chinese farmers get out of poverty
The harsh climate of the grasslands in China have long made it difficult for villagers to plant or herd anything. Now, thanks to new solar farms and greenhouses, residents are able to harvest light and grow crops. The abundance of sunlight produces an abundance of energy, allowing the residents to Read More...