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.
Researchers want to use old EV batteries to help store power for the grid
In four or five years, the batteries in the roughly one and a quarter million electric vehicles currently on the road will start to decline and will have to be replaced. So what will we do with all those batteries that have such much life still in them, but are no longer suitable for cars? Two Read More...
Why you won't be owning a car in 25 to 30 years
Within a few decades, you may not own a car anymore. Nor will your neighbor. Or your neighbor’s neighbor. But what you may have is partial ownership in a network of self-driving cars that will show up on demand when needed. While it may be hard to think of parting with your car right now, the Read More...
Indian scientists design device to collect solar energy
Indian scientists have designed a new device they hope will solve one of the biggest problems with the use of solar energy. They call the device a solar tree. Solar trees have metal “branches” extending from a tall, central pole at different levels. Each branch holds a photovoltaic Read More...
South Africa to become wind energy hot spot (and why we should care)
As recently as 2012, South Africa had very little wind energy capacity—10 MW to be precise—and it had taken ten years to get to that point. Now, in 2016, it is right around 2 GW. That's something like a 1900% increase in four years by my (admittedly math-addled) brain. And according to Read More...
Chinese people want renewable energy more than anyone, but nobody’s selling it to them
It turns out a staggering number of Chinese people are willing to pay more for renewable energy. But businesses that sell green power to consumers, prolific elsewhere, haven’t yet got a single foothold in the biggest market on earth. A survey of 3,000 Chinese city-dwellers by Ipsos Mori, a Read More...
'Smart energy' revolution to balance electricity demand
A "smart energy" revolution could help ensure that the UK does not suffer blackouts, according to National Grid's new UK chief. Nicola Shaw, its executive director, said technological advances will reduce the need to build new conventional power stations in the UK. An "internet of energy" will Read More...
Why you'll be seeing a lot more electric cars on the road this year
Have you noticed more electric cars on the roads these days? How about an increase in electric charging stations or lanes dedicated to zero-emissions vehicles? If you have, it’s because the world is getting set for the transition to electric vehicles. The infrastructure to support such a Read More...
It’s not just solar panels. Electric cars can be contagious, too.
We already know that solar power can be contagious. Studies have found that if you install a rooftop solar system, it increases the odds that your neighbors will too. Now along comes tantalizing evidence that electric vehicles have a similar dynamic. When charging stations are more visible, people Read More...
Millions of used electric car batteries will help store energy for the grid. Maybe.
Once or twice a year, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) founder Michael Liebreich posts a magisterial summation of some trend or set of trends in the energy world. His latest report is about electric vehicles. It’s worth reading the whole thing, but it was an aside about discarded EV Read More...
New solar powered device revives hydrogen economy dream
Despite a plethora of naysayers, research is progressing apace on deploying hydrogen as a sustainable fuel that also doubles as an energy storage opportunity. The latest development illustrates just how quickly that pace is accelerating. A research team based at Switzerland’s Ecole Read More...