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.
At long last, the Hydrogen Highway may soon be here
Stephen Beatty was looking through some old papers not long ago and found a report prepared for then-prime minister Joe Clark on Canada’s hydrogen-powered future. “It talked of the hydrogen economy being only 25 years away,” Toyota Canada’s vice-president says. “That Read More...
Scotland just generated more electricity through wind power than the country needs
For the first time on record, wind turbines have generated more electricity than was used in the whole of Scotland on a single day. An analysis by conservation group WWF Scotland found unseasonably stormy weather saw turbines create about 106 per cent of the total amount of electricity Read More...
Massachusetts goes all in for offshore wind
America’s offshore wind industry has received a major boost with a Massachusetts law that requires utilities to procure a combined 1,600 megawatts of electricity from offshore wind farms in a little over 10 years. The legislation will make Massachusetts the largest producer of offshore wind in Read More...
Pay-as-you-go plans bring affordable clean energy to rural Zimbabwe
In rural Zimbabwe where many have no access to electricity, solar schemes are starting to bring clean energy to communities of people at a low cost. The average person earns between $20 and $100 a month, which isn’t enough to purchase a $500 solar system to power their home along with other Read More...
Study: Solar industry can provide employment for coal workers
Politicians and governments are used to face a big challenge: New technologies need to replace old ones to make the economy cleaner and more efficient. However, saying goodbye to old technologies means laying off workers. The massive transition from a fossil-fuel-based energy economy to one using Read More...
Making a solar energy conversion breakthrough with help from a ferroelectrics pioneer
Designers of solar cells may soon be setting their sights higher, as a discovery by a team of researchers has revealed a class of materials that could be better at converting sunlight into energy than those currently being used in solar arrays. Their research shows how a material can be used to Read More...
Nissan debuts fuel-cell prototype powered by bio-ethanol
Just in time for the Olympic Games, Nissan is testing a special type of fuel-cell vehicle on the streets of Brazil. The model, based off the NV200 van, runs completely off bio-ethanol and offers a driving range of more than 372 miles. It doesn’t work like other fuel cells which have a Read More...
The clean energy revolution is underway in Australia
The “virtual power plant” seeks to link together networks of energy-efficient buildings, solar installations, and batteries to help utilities reduce energy demand at peak hours and supply targeted areas with clean energy. We wrote about the “virtual power plant” of Los Angeles last week, Read More...
Nissan has created the world’s first solid-oxide fuel cell vehicle
Nissan Motor Co. revealed a revolutionary new prototype vehicle this week — the world’s first Solid Oxide Fuel-Cell (SOFC)-powered prototype vehicle. The car runs on bio-ethanol electric power and can rely on multiple fuels in order to produce high-efficiency electricity, including Read More...
Electric garbage trucks could be everywhere “within five years”
Electrifying fuel guzzling heavy-duty trucks could cut costs and carbon emissions—in theory, at least. by Michael Reilly August 4, 2016 While we wait and see whether electric cars will take over the roads, there’s a new vehicle up for an electric makeover: the garbage truck. Read More...