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.
Solar without subsidies: Italy switches on five new power plants
On the day that President Trump pulled the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement to support American fossil fuel interests, Italy switched on five new solar plants. The plants operate without any government support in the latest sign that clean energy is the future of jobs and investments: Read More...
California leads the way and passes bill to go 100 percent renewable energy
California took a major step in ditching fossil fuels after the state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that aims for 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. The legislation, Senate Bill 100, was approved with a 25-13 vote. "Today, we passed the most ambitious target in the world to expand clean energy Read More...
Ridesharing hits hyper-growth
The last year has been rough for ridesharing app Uber, what with a litany of regulatory challenges, lawsuits over intellectual property infringement, and questions about gender relations in the workplace. The new year even brought a Twitter-driven #DeleteUber campaign. So, how’s the business Read More...
The $7 trillion promise of self-driving vehicles
Why are so many automakers, tech firms, components suppliers and ride-hailing companies pouring billions of dollars into developing self-driving cars and trucks? In part, it's because the payoff could eventually be worth $7 trillion. That's the estimate of a new study from the research firm Read More...
In Brooklyn you can buy solar power from your neighbor's roof
In Brooklyn, you can buy solar power right off your neighbor's roof. A startup is revolutionizing the way homeowners buy and sell electricity. They are making it possible to auction rooftop solar power directly to your neighbors, creating a market for home-grown clean energy. Here’s why this Read More...
Russian internet giant Yandex shows off its self-driving car
When Russia's Yandex revealed that it, too, was working on self-driving cars, it was hard not to be a bit skeptical. Wouldn't it be well behind American counterparts with a year-long head start, like Waymo? Clearly, it's making up for lost time: Yandex (or specifically, its on-demand service Read More...
Self-driving taxis could be 10 times cheaper than owning a car by 2030
A new report predicts that self-driving cars will make ride-hailing so cheap that it will transform the automobile market. By 2030, the report predicts, 95 percent of passenger miles traveled in the U.S. could be happening in on-demand, autonomous electric cars owned by fleets rather than Read More...
New global solar capacity could surpass 2016 record this year
New global solar capacity will continue to grow this year, after lower costs drove it to record levels in 2016, and could surpass 80 gigawatts (GW), Europe's solar industry forecast on Tuesday. Solar photovoltaic (PV) module prices have fallen 80 percent since 2009 as capacity has risen and Read More...
Renewables grow to 17 percent of electricity mix as sector calls for certainty
Renewable energy comprised 17% of Australia’s electricity generation in 2016, up from 14% the year before, but the industry is warning it needs policy certainty and support beyond 2020 if the growth trend is to continue. A new report by the Clean Energy Council says 2016 was a year of Read More...
Autonomous car testing costs could be cut 99 percent with new method
Autonomous car technology is the Holy Grail for auto manufacturers today. Elon Musk claims self-driving cars will be as common as self-service elevators in the very near future. But first, the systems used to allow cars to drive themselves need to be validated. Currently, that means collecting data Read More...