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.
Salt, not batteries, is the solution to our energy storage needs
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 debuts world's first fully electric big rig
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 use of coal is falling and that is not a bad thing"
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...
Water: America's largest renewable source is only getting bigger
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...
From wasteland to solar park: What Ukraine plans to do with Chernobyl
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...
Mercedes challenges Tesla with its own electric-truck pledge
Mercedes-Benz outlined plans to start selling an electric heavy-duty truck in about five years, a week after Tesla Motors Inc.’s initial sketch on battery-powered commercial vehicles failed to impress investors. The 26-metric-ton Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck will have a range of about 200 Read More...
Electric car economics are showing some sparks
Pushed by federal regulations, automakers are spending billions to develop new all-electric cars. But with gas prices staying relatively low, consumers aren't buying the electric offerings available now. Except for the glamorous and expensive Tesla Model S, electric vehicle sales for the first half Read More...
New electric car battery delivers lots of power with little weight
The lithium-air batteries found in electric cars haven’t quite reached their full potential yet. They degrade rather quickly and waste a lot of energy input as heat, but scientists may have found a better way to power clean energy vehicles. Scientists have engineered a lithium-oxygen battery that Read More...
Clean energy gets set for takeoff in Abu Dhabi as solar plane ends journey across world
History was made this week in the world of clean energy transportation when the Solar Impulse 2 completed its flight across the world in Abu Dhabi without using a single drop of fuel. Perhaps it may seem odd that the solar plane landed in one of the world’s biggest oil producing countries, but Read More...
Porsche to create more than 1,400 jobs for electric car
Germany Porsche will boost the number of jobs for its first all-electric model by more than half from previous targets as part of parent Volkswagen's (VW) push to overcome its emissions scandal by embracing zero-emission cars and digital services. Porsche, the No. 2 contributor to VW group profit, Read More...