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.
First electricity from tidal energy farm reaches mainland Scotland
For the first time, Scotland’s mainland has received electricity from tidal power. Scotland is currently developing the world’s first large-scale tidal energy farm, with plans to deploy up to 269 turbines that will generate around 400MW of electricity. That’s enough to power hundreds of Read More...
Energy-efficient engine turns waste hot water into electricity
A new engine that generates electricity from waste hot water could reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for thousands of different businesses, from cargo shipping to data centres. So says Exergyn, a firm based in Dublin, Ireland, which plans to run the first industrial trials of its Read More...
Study: Battery-electric cars cheaper, better at cutting emissions than fuel cells
There's been considerable debate among advocates of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars over which technology is better for the environment. While neither vehicle type produces any tailpipe emissions, their overall emissions vary depending on the fuels and processes used to generate Read More...
California’s plug-in electric vehicle fleet to surpass 250,000 milestone this month
The plug-in electric vehicle fleet in California has grown rapidly over the last few years, partly down to the substantial support that the government there provides, though partly due to the presence of companies such as Tesla, a greener focus in the state, wealthier citizens, and associated Read More...
The state of solar power looks bright in 2017 (+video)
By 2017, solar power capacity in the U.S. will have nearly tripled in less than three years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Combined wind, utility-scale and distributed solar power accounted for more than 66% of all new capacity installed in the U.S. last year. Already, more than twice Read More...
Want to boost wind and solar power? Bring them together
What’s keeping solar and wind power from fully taking over the electric grid? For starters, the sun only shines during the day. Wind blows intermittently, is seasonally variable, and is not always blowing when the energy is needed. But what if solar and wind work together? "Wind resource Read More...
Microsoft announces its largest wind energy purchase
Microsoft announced on Monday its largest purchase of wind energy to date in two agreements together representing 237 MW, bringing the company’s total investments in wind energy projects in the US to over 500 MW. Microsoft has been consistent in its ambitions to green its operations, Read More...
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...