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.
Making spongier and more climate-resilient cities
We decided to revamp a story about a wonderful solution, with a few updates. The world’s cities and population centers are overwhelmingly located near water. This makes good sense since water is essential for living, and throughout history, people have built their settlements where water is Read More...
Astronomers discover nearby multi-planet system
Astronomers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered a multi-planet system in our own galactic neighborhood. It is only 10 parsecs, or 33 lightyears, away from our own solar system, making it one of the closest systems to our own. Discoverers dubbed the small and cool Read More...
VR study shows bright colors and green spaces bring joy to cities
We at The Optimist Daily have written a great deal about the positive effects of greenery in cities. They sequester carbon, boost climate resiliency, and they cheer people up. Now, there is research to support greenery, along with bright colors, making cities more enjoyable. A study from the Read More...
Creating multi-purpose superglue from mistletoe berries
When someone says the word mistletoe, images of kissing at Christmas automatically spring to mind. But what if we told you that the berries from this festive plant can be used for much more than just locking lips? Ancient civilizations have featured these berries in a wide variety of medicines, Read More...
Lower traffic accidents linked to urban emissions laws
From the 1970s to the mid-1990s, the US and France were more or less the same in traffic fatality rates. In fact, they had both declined by 31 percent from 1979 to 1994. Today, though, people getting around in the US are three times more likely to die than in France. What happened? Bloomberg Read More...
Huge Anglo-Saxon burial site discovered in Buckinghamshire
A large burial site containing a wealth of Britain’s early ancestors and treasures has been discovered near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Historian Dan Snow described it as a “stunning set of discoveries,” and the find has illuminated parts of the past. “Traditionally, this period has Read More...
The real reason behind why cats freak out over catnip
Cats’ reaction to catnip - and its Asian counterpart silvervine - is truly a sight to be seen. Our household pets start aggressively rolling, rubbing, chewing, and licking it like they have been possessed by these plants' taste and aroma. A team from Iwate University has recently published a Read More...
The shape of flowers reduces parasites transmitted to bumblebees
Bumblebees are furry and critical pollinators that are sadly vulnerable to many things such as heat and predators. Another thing that affects their populations that we can keep an eye out for in our gardens is parasites. Recent research from North Carolina State University showed that the Read More...
This LEGO-like computer chip has so many applications!
A team of researchers from MIT has recently designed a LEGO-like computer chip. Designing the technology in this stackable manner allows for the creation of reconfigurable AI equipment with a huge range of uses. “You can add as many computing layers and sensors as you want, such as for light, Read More...
Google Cloud impressively calculates the first 100 trillion digits of pi
Thousands of years ago, the irrational number pi, with infinite digits, was discovered. Back in 2019, Google Cloud calculated pi out to an impressive 31.4 trillion digits, setting the world record. Then, last year scientists from the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons broke that Read More...