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.
These tiny solar cells can be folded and fit in the palm of your hand
Since the typical solar panel isn’t portable, researchers have developed tiny solar cells that can be folded up for transportation, incorporated into clothing, or easily used in electronics. One example of this would be placing a mini-solar panel on a backpack that can then charge your devices Read More...
Solar-powered trains are closer to reality than we might think
How can we connect solar photovoltaics (PV) directly to railways to power electric trains? That’s the question my charity 10:10 and researchers at Imperial College’s Energy Futures Lab are trying to answer. Electric trains are by far the best long distance transport mode when it comes Read More...
Kia confirms development of hydrogen model due in 2021
Kia will bring a bespoke hydrogen fuel-cell car to market before the end of 2021. Speaking to Autocar ahead of the Geneva motor show, the company’s head of marketing in Europe, Artur Martins, confirmed that development of a new fuel cell car was under way. Although he stopped short of Read More...
India may never need to build a new coal plant, report says
As the population and economy of India continues to grow, it wouldn’t seem so far-fetched if the country would need more coal plants to keep up with their energy demands. Thankfully, this is not the case. According to a new report, India, which is the world’s fastest-growing climate polluter, Read More...
How has technology changed the way we trust?
Rachel Botsman has spent over a decade thinking about the "sharing economy." As an author and a visiting academic at the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School, who researches how technology is transforming trust, she’s an authority on the subject. She's also one of Fast Company's Read More...
Will Massachusetts become first U.S. state to commit to 100 percent renewables?
Clean energy supporters in Massachusetts announced legislation Monday, backed by more than a quarter of the state legislature, committing Massachusetts to get 100 percent of its energy needs from clean and renewable sources by mid-century. The legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives Read More...
These bacteria clean water while generating electricity
At The Optimist Daily, we know that nature is the leading provider of solutions to human problems. Here’s one more. Across the planet, a lot of water is poisoned with heavy metals. The good news is that there are bacteria who love iron, lead, and mercury. And researchers have now modified these Read More...
Latin America leads the way in clean energy
Latin America is poised to take on a leading role on climate change and renewable energy in the global arena in 2017. The enormous potential and rapid spread of renewable energy in the region has fueled hope of a global transition to a low-carbon economy. The added bonus: an economic opportunity Read More...
Jimmy Carter sets example for President Trump with new solar farm
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the White House to show the world what producing clean energy looks like. Now, more than 35 years later, the former president has developed a new solar farm in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. The solar farm includes 3,852 panels and will Read More...
This battery can power your entire home with renewable energy for a decade
Researchers from Harvard University have developed a renewable battery that has an incredible 10-year lifespan. With such a battery, you could become independent of the grid and power your entire home with renewable energy using the same battery for a decade. Unlike other flow batteries, this Read More...