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.
We’re underestimating how quickly electric vehicles will disrupt oil market
Just about every analyst agrees that the electric vehicle market is poised for rapid growth. But how rapid? It’s not an idle question. The rate of EV growth will have huge implications for oil markets, auto markets, and electric utilities. Yet it is maddeningly difficult to predict the Read More...
Scientists want to create a limitless clean energy with nuclear fusion by 2030
Nuclear fusion is a process that replicates the natural powers of the sun to create vast amounts of clean energy without producing carbon emissions. The process works by fusing two hydrogen atoms together under extreme pressures to produce an almost limitless supply of helium, a fuel source. The Read More...
German electricity transmission CEO: ‘80 percent renewables is no problem’
Germany’s pursuit of a low carbon economy, the Energiewende, is in full swing, but questions have emerged over its feasibility. EurActiv’s partner Der Tagesspiegel spoke with Boris Schucht, who is head of one of Germany’s largest electricity providers. Boris Schucht has been CEO Read More...
Self-driving car prototypes need less human help, data show
Self-driving car prototypes appear to be getting better at negotiating California streets and highways without a human backup driver intervening, according to data made public Wednesday by California transportation regulators. The data reflect safety-related incidents reported by 11 companies that Read More...
Blue Bird, Lion Bus have big plans for electric school buses
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded Blue Bird with $4.4 million to develop an electric school bus with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. With a total of almost $9 million to work with through matching funds from other groups, Blue Bird will build a demonstration fleet of eight buses in Read More...
In just three months Tesla completed this new California battery farm
Tesla has built a battery farm for a California utility company. The facility contains enough batteries to run about 1,000 Tesla cars or to power 15,000 homes for four hours. The project marks an important point in Tesla’s strategy to expand beyond the electric car business. Developing battery Read More...
The E.U. is on track to meet its clean energy goals
The E.U. is on target to meet its goal for renewables to supply 20 percent of its energy by 2020, according to a new report. The report states that renewables accounted for 16.4 percent of overall consumption in 2015, but also mentioned that E.U. nations will have to redouble efforts to meet the Read More...
Russia's nuclear giant pushes into wind energy
Russia's nuclear agency Rosatom said Tuesday that it was joining with a Dutch company to create a wind turbine venture, hoping to tap a domestic market worth billions of euros each year. The Russian government wants wind energy to generate two percent of the country's electricity output by 2024, Read More...
Vestas sets new wind energy record with giant turbine
A massive turbine developed by Danish wind energy company Vestas has set a new record producing 216,000 kWh over a 24-hour period. The Usain Bolt of wind turbines stands at 722 feet (220 m) at full height, with 38-ton blades that are 263 feet (80 m) in length for a total sweep area of 227,377 Read More...
How artificial intelligence could save the planet
In many respects, 2016 was the year of artificial intelligence (AI). Innovations such as big data, advances in machine learning and computing power, and algorithms capable of hearing and seeing with beyond-human accuracy have brought the benefits of AI to bear on our daily lives. By working Read More...