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.
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...
Hydrogen heating a step closer as government adviser backs UK trials
Radical plans to use hydrogen to heat UK homes and businesses have moved a step closer after the Government’s official climate advisers said the plan was “technically feasible” and called for major trials to be undertaken. In a report, the Committee on Climate Change identified Read More...
Global wind energy capacity reaches 456 GW, set to hit 500 GW by year-end
Global wind energy capacity reached 456 GW at the half-year mark of 2016, and is set to hit 500 GW by the end of the year, according to new figures from the World Wind Energy Association. Published this week, the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) released its half-year report, revealing that 21 Read More...
The race to build a solar plant that generates power for 1 million homes
Renewable energy is decentralized energy: solar panels on the roofs of homes and windmills in the countryside—no big power plants. There’s one exception: concentrated solar power plants. These plants use mirrors that capture the sun's rays and concentrate it onto a tower equipped with a molten Read More...
The next solar opportunity: Turning windows into solar panels
Imagine that the windows of your home could capture solar energy in an invisible way without any loss of sight or light. That would be a dream technology and researchers are getting closer to it. They have developed a thin film of quantum dots on window glass that could be the key to achieving Read More...