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.
Opponents of wind farms have long argued that the sight of turbines on the horizon damages tourism. If this sounds like nonsense, that’s because it is, according to a new study. This argument has actually succeeded in halting the construction of wind farms in the past, but a new study finds that Read More...
Energy storage could replace peak gas in our electricity network. That’s the finding of a study that my colleagues and I recently published in the Journal of Applied Energy. Energy storage is often considered the holy grail of the electricity sector. Tesla’s Powerwall home battery Read More...
Carbon dioxide is a problem; the source of global warming. Right? Yes. But CO2 can also be a solution. Researchers have created a technology that mimics a plant’s ability to inhale carbon dioxide and, with water, convert it into glucose and oxygen. In the process, a synthetic fuel is created Read More...
As I just wrote, two Polish cities (Kraków and Wrocław, where I live) are each planning to launch 200-car electric carsharing programs. Furthermore, a startup is aiming to launch electric carsharing in Poznan, Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Tricity, and Łódź; and Read More...
Elon Musk took another step in combining his electric-car company with his solar-energy company, announcing on Monday that the two had reached a $2.6 billion agreement. Independent members of both boards approved a deal in which the car company, Tesla Motors, will acquire SolarCity for stock, Read More...
In the desert of Nevada stands the most advanced solar power plant in the world that has solved the greatest predicament that comes with harnessing the power of the sun: energy storage. Within a tower surrounded by ten thousand silvery glass panes is a mixture of potassium and sodium nitrate that Read More...
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the world's first big rig that drives without a drop of fuel. The new Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck has an electrically driven rear axle and is powered by three lithium-ion battery modules. The zero-emission vehicle has an admissible total weight of up to 26 tonnes with a Read More...
Australia’s new environment and energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, says coal will be a declining part of Australia’s energy mix because of inexorable market forces – but he insists the Coalition’s much criticised Direct Action policy is up to the mark, and will allow Read More...
Hydropower may not get as much attention as solar and wind get, but it’s actually America’s single largest renewable energy source. Hydropower currently produces six percent of the total energy needs of the U.S., and there is much potential to increase the electricity-generating capacity as a Read More...
Ukraine will soon generate power again in the 1,000 mile square exclusion zone that surrounds the site of the Chernobyl atomic fallout, but this time it won’t be nuclear energy. With the land being so cheap and high-voltage lines already in place, the Ukranian government plans spend $1.1 billion Read More...