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.
What rural Alaska can teach the world about renewable energy
I flew into Unalakleet, Alaska, on a late fall day. With about 700 people, Unalakleet is large by rural Alaska standards and serves as a regional hub. The village is on a sandy spit of land where a clear river meets the turbid water of the Bering Sea. Out the plane window the sun shone bright, Read More...
California paves way to self-driving car tests without humans
California, the largest U.S. car market, plans to allow testing on public roads of self-driving vehicles without human backup drivers by the end of the year, state officials said Friday. The state's Department of Motor Vehicles is seeking public comment on proposed regulations for driverless Read More...
Scientists harness solar power to produce clean hydrogen from biomass
A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge has developed a way of using solar power to generate a fuel that is both sustainable and relatively cheap to produce. It's using natural light to generate hydrogen from biomass. One of the challenges facing modern society is what it does with its Read More...
How Morocco tapped into Africa's renewable energy potential
Providing reliable, affordable and sustainable access to energy has become a core focus of the international development community and is the seventh goal of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Roughly 1.2 billion people, or 17 percent of the global population, are energy poor, Read More...
Elon Musk offers to fix Australia's energy problems in 100 days—or its free
Following a string of electricity blackouts in the Australian state of South Australia, Elon Musk has offered a solution that seems to good to be true. On Twitter, the head of Tesla said he can fix the state’s energy problems by installing a network of Tesla’s Powerwall 2 batteries, all in 100 Read More...
Tesla powers the island of Kauai with solar panels and batteries
Yes, Tesla is a car manufacturer. However, electric cars need batteries. That's why Tesla's CEO Elon Musk is also in the business of generating and storing solar electricity for entire islands as he continues on his mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. This week Read More...
Pssst…wanna get a cheap solar energy loan?
If the US Department of Energy goes down, it will go down swinging. The agency is facing massive budget cuts but this week it still managed to push out funding for a seed grant that will enable the San Francisco-based solar organization RE-volv to bring its unique crowdfunded solar financing Read More...
Semi-autonomous wheelchair could help mobilize people with severe paralysis
For someone with advanced Lou Gehrig’s disease or severe paralysis, a motorized wheelchair can be very hard to use. That’s why engineers have put together a self-driving wheelchair to help people with severe disabilities get around. The wheelchair isn’t exactly self-driving because the people Read More...
California generated nearly half of its energy needs from solar last week
California just hit a new solar power milestone. Last week, the Golden state briefly generated enough solar power to meet nearly half of the state’s electricity needs. What’s remarkable is that rooftop systems were responsible for over a third of that power. It's an incredible feat, but Read More...
3D Printing with plants is cheaper, stronger and more environmentally friendly
Engineers at MIT have developed a way to use plant cellulose as a feedstock for 3D printers, providing another renewable, biodegradable alternative to popular petroleum-based polymers like ABS currently being used. The researchers also believe printing with cellulose could be cheaper and stronger Read More...