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.
Old plastic bottles bring light to 850,000 homes in slums around the world
This nonprofit helps poor communities around the world make their own lights from old plastic bottles and other locally available parts. The project started in the Philippines in 2012 and has now spread to over 15 countries. Liter of Light has lit over 850,000 homes so Read More...
Powerful currents: Generating clean energy where salt and fresh water meet
A new technology generates unprecedented amounts of electrical power in places where saltwater and freshwater meet. The process can be used in estuaries where fresh and ocean water mix. Researchers estimate the technology may be able to supply 40 percent of the world's power Read More...
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...