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.
Scientists turn carbon dioxide into ethanol, by mistake
Scientists have accidentally done something incredible. They have created a means of transforming carbon dioxide into a clean fuel called ethanol, by mistake. The ethanol produced was said to be pure, meaning there are minimum side reactions. If produced on a mass-scale, this ethanol could be used Read More...
There's now a children's book about self-driving cars
Fleets of self-driving cars used to be as about as plausible as unicorns jumping over rainbows. But with major automakers and technology companies racing to develop, test, and deploy self-driving cars to the masses, the era of autonomous vehicles suddenly seems believable. It’s possible that Read More...
Kansas town decimated by tornado now runs on 100% renewable energy
A little more than nine years ago, an EF-5 tornado ripped through Greensburg, Kansas. The massive, May 4, 2007 twister leveled the small town, and half of the town's population of 1,500 residents escaped and never came back. But from the rubble, opportunity emerged. Greensburg is now one of the Read More...
This chart shows how the renewable energy revolution keeps beating expectation
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is the world’s most prominent energy forecaster. It was established as a watchdog of the industry in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. It’s illustrative for the exponential rise of renewable energy that the IEA keeps adjusting its outlook for wind and solar Read More...
Peak oil demand is getting closer
OPEC’s decision last month to reverse its policy of unfettered production and cut oil output to boost prices may be at odds with the industry’s most important long-term trend: demand for what they produce could start falling within 15 years. If rapid improvements continue in renewable Read More...
Tesla says it hopes to work with Panasonic on solar energy
U.S. electric car maker Tesla says it plans to start working with Japanese electronics company Panasonic Corp. on solar energy. Panasonic had no immediate comment Monday on Tesla's statement on its corporate blog that the companies have signed a non-binding letter of intent to begin collaborating Read More...
Tiny microalgae could lead renewable hydrogen revolution
Despite skepticism from some quarters, it appears the hydrogen economy is beginning to take shape with accelerating speed. In the latest news, a research team at Tel Aviv University developed a way to speed up the rate of algal hydrogen production by about 400 percent. The news is significant Read More...
Clean energy innovation is great but energy efficiency can provide huge gains
Clean energy innovation is an inspiring development that The Optimist Daily reports on every day. But it’s only part of the journey to a clean, green and healthy society. There’s a lot of energy and money to be saved as well as money to be made through energy efficiency. The good news is we are Read More...
Test: UK lets electric cars use bus lanes to tackle air pollution
The British government is considering to allow electric cars to use bus lanes and getting priority at traffic lights in an effort to reduce air pollution in cities. According to the government air pollution kills 50,000 people each year in the U.K. at an annual cost to society of £27.5bn. Local Read More...
Electric cars set to pass 2m landmark globally by end of 2016
The number of plug-in electric cars on the world’s roads is set to pass the landmark of two million vehicles by the end of 2016, with industry observers saying the electric car revolution is finally underway. A surging market in China is leading the way and Chinese-made models have pushed Read More...