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.
Jaguar Land Rover invests $25 million in Lyft to help develop self-driving cars
Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover said its mobility services business, InMotion Ventures, would invest $25 million in U.S. ride services company Lyft Inc to help develop and test technology for self-driving cars. The auto industry and technology companies are racing to develop Read More...
Solar energy will soon be cheaper than any other energy source
Protecting coal jobs today makes as much sense as protecting typing pool jobs around the time personal computers caught on in the 1980s. Solar technology will destroy coal and oil as energy sources even if President Donald Trump stamps his feet, holds his breath and refuses to play with the rest of Read More...
The home of The Optimist Daily joins the clean energy revolution
We are proud to announce that the home town of The Optimist Daily team has joined the clean energy revolution: Santa Barbara, California, has become the 30th city in the U.S. to commit to transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy by Read More...
Renewable energy provides half of British electricity for the first time
This week the National Grid in the United Kingdom reported that renewable sources of energy were generating more electricity than coal and gas for the first time. Power from wind, solar, hydro and wood pellet burning supplied 50.7 percent of British energy. A tenth of the U.K.'s power was coming Read More...
Honda to focus on self-driving cars, robotics, EVs through 2030
Japanese car maker Honda Motor Co on Thursday spelled out for the first time its plans to develop autonomous cars which can drive on city streets by 2025, building on its strategy to take on rivals in the auto market of the future. Unveiling its mid-term Vision 2030 strategy plan, Honda said it Read More...
Total renewable energy capacity boomed in 2016 as prices continue to drop
Thanks to plummeting costs, renewable energy capacity around the world increased by a record 10 percent. New solar power provided the biggest boost – half of all new capacity – followed by wind power at a third and hydropower at 15 percent. It is the first year that the new solar capacity added Read More...
2 million electric cars on the world's roads
The number of electric vehicles on roads worldwide rose to a record high of 2 million last year, but has a long way to go to reach levels needed to help limit an increase in global temperatures, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday. In 2015, the number of electric cars, including Read More...
Renewable energy push is strongest in the reddest states in U.S.
These red states are not motivated by a sudden desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nor are they joining solidly Democratic New York, Washington and California in defending the Paris climate agreement that President Trump walked away from last week. Instead, their leaders see tapping the Read More...
Cheap catalysts turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel
Scientists have long dreamed of mimicking photosynthesis, by using the energy in sunlight to knit together hydrocarbon fuels from carbon dioxide and water. Now, a cheap new chemical catalyst has carried out part of that process with record efficiency, using electricity from a solar cell to split Read More...
China and California team up to boost clean energy tech
California steps in where Donald Trump left. The 6th largest economy in the world has formed an unusual partnership with China to work together on clean energy technology, including carbon capture and technology that can keep greenhouse gases in check. They’ll also unite on emissions trading and Read More...