Today’s Solutions: September 22, 2024

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.

Plastic, colorful lego building blocks isolated on white background.

This LEGO-like computer chip has so many applications!

A team of researchers from MIT has recently designed a LEGO-like computer chip. Designing the technology in this stackable manner allows for the creation of reconfigurable AI equipment with a huge range of uses. “You can add as many computing layers and sensors as you want, such as for light, Read More...

a blackboard with many digits of pi written down

Google Cloud impressively calculates the first 100 trillion digits of pi

Thousands of years ago, the irrational number pi, with infinite digits, was discovered. Back in 2019, Google Cloud calculated pi out to an impressive 31.4 trillion digits, setting the world record. Then, last year scientists from the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons broke that Read More...

E-scooters

Boston e-scooter company soon to unveil safer model

While shared electric scooters have boomed over the last few years, there remain many concerns about their safety. Scooter-related injuries have become so common that some law firms offer legal action against scooter manufacturers on their websites. Some cities like Miami and New York have kicked Read More...

Orange monarch butterfly on orange cosmos flowers.

Monarch butterflies are bouncing back

The number of monarch butterflies across North America has long been thought to be declining. Previously, scientists have thoroughly researched the winter behavior of these insects which led to this unfortunate conclusion. Therefore, even though no studies have been carried out on monarch Read More...

Wave illustration.

Radio waves can more reliably protect our data

Hardware is the technical term for the tangible components of an electronic device, including a computer monitor, scanner, keyboard, or mouse. Hardware can be subjected to attacks that are a severe risk to data security and allows the attacker to gain information - such as credit card details, Read More...

A hydrofoil boat approaching the port of the greek island Hydra.

The environmentally friendly, flying ships of the future

These days, electric cars, bikes, scooters, trams, and trains are common modes of transport. However, one mode of transport which hasn’t got the electric memo is ferries, which are still almost exclusively powered by fossil fuels. The problematic factor here is battery capacity, which cannot last Read More...

Eye exam

Researchers could predict heart attacks with an eye exam

In a study presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics, researchers explained how they combined clinical factors with an eye exam to predict patients’ likelihood of a heart attack.  Researchers used medical and lifestyle data from 500,000 people from the UK Read More...

Ithaca, New York

“Digital twin” of Ithaca, NY helps to plot climate ambitions

In 2019, Ithaca, New York was the first US city to resolve to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions by 2030. The college town allocated $100 million to fund the effort, but they still needed a plan of how to decarbonize all its buildings.  Two architectural professors from Cornell University Read More...

Photograph of ugly fringehead Fish (Santa Cruz Island, CA).

"Ugly" reef fish need our help

Pretty privilege is not just a bias humans hold within our own species. According to a machine-learning study from the University of Montpellier, reef fish that people perceive as more beautiful are a higher priority for conservation support. In the study, 13,000 members of the public were asked Read More...

NASA team

NASA assembles team to investigate UFO sightings

While the Pentagon has confirmed the sightings of UFOs over the last couple of years, these are still unexplained. In response, NASA is forming its own independent team for the purpose of studying UFOs.  The confirmed UFO sightings certainly have many scientists and officials boggled, but there Read More...