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.
Beautiful solar structures: The future of urban design
Clean energy sources are often relegated to places where people cannot see them, like far in the ocean or on the roofs of buildings. But what if they were instead made into aesthetically-pleasing structures meant to be seen on the street? What if art could be combined with the production of solar Read More...
A new process to turn the waste heat of power plants into electricity
In most power plants, most of the energy produced ends up as heat. Some of this heat is then used to produce electricity but much of it typically gets lost when it escapes into the atmosphere. A group of researchers has developed a new material that can be used to turn waste heat into electricity. Read More...
Las Vegas is getting some new streetlights, and they will be powered by your feet
A New York startup has built four streetlights at a Vegas intersection that will be powered entirely by renewable energy. During the day, the lights will run on solar energy. But at night, they will be powered by the kinetic energy of all the people walking by them. The streetlights are a trial Read More...
This electric van let's you work comfortably on the road
Nissan has created the ideal car for the digital nomad. Considering that the traditional office works setting is no longer prominent, employees around the world can travel and work as they go as long as they have internet. With that in mind, Nissan created the world’s first electronic mobile Read More...
Daimler boss tells German Greens he shares vision of zero-emission cars
The chairman of Germany's largest luxury carmaker, Daimler-Benz, braved boos and a frosty reception as guest speaker at a Greens party congress on Sunday to tell delegates he too wants CO2-free cars on the roads. Dieter Zetsche, whose company is demonized by many Greens, said the firm had not Read More...
Aruba commits to 100% renewable energy
While many nations are taking steps toward energy independence, Aruba is diving in. In 2012, the small island nation pledged to transition to 100 percent renewable energy within eight years. Justin Locke is director of the island energy program at the Carbon War Room, an international nonprofit. He Read More...
Smart windows save energy and promote productivity
Windows play a key role when it comes to saving energy. The principle loss of energy in buildings is through windows: A pane of glass can lose or gain up to 10 times the amount of heat than a same sized wall space. Smart windows are changing that. On sunny days, they automatically tint to block Read More...
Renewables are outpacing coal in India
But there are still challenges to overcome around financing. But there are still challenges to overcome around financing. bnef coal financing india net metering private equity solar lanterns venture capital Elon Musk Unveiled a Solar Roof and Didn’t Address Any Pressing Questions Dow Chemical Read More...
Renewable energy to hit 9 percent of U.S. total in 2017
U.S. renewable-energy generating capacity is not only growing, but it is beginning to erode coal's share of the electricity-generating mix, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The agency predicts renewable energy—particularly solar power—to continue growing. Read More...
Renault plans to produce a $8,000 mass market electric car by 2018
Within the next two years, Renault-Nissan plans to produce an electric car costing $8,000 or less. The car would be one of the cheapest electric cars on the market and would help to make electric vehicles available to anyone. The company hopes the car will help to capture the lucrative Chinese Read More...