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.
Victoria approves state's largest windfarm project
Victoria has approved a $650m, 96-turbine windfarm that will be the largest in the state as it bids to become the nation’s renewable energy leader. The approval of the Dundonnell project means 300 direct and indirect jobs will be created during construction and the turbines will generate 1000 Read More...
See the charts that capture the solar revolution
Many people still have a hard time believing the solar revolution. Solar energy has been advancing considerably faster than anyone expected just a few years ago thanks to aggressive market-based deployment efforts around the globe. Click here for a few charts that show the incredible trend of the Read More...
Mercedes-Benz shows off the sleek self-driving bus of tomorrow
Mercedes-Benz has given us a glimpse of what the future of public transport may look like, with a demo of its Future Bus with CityPilot. The tech-filled vehicle combines connectivity, camera and radar systems and is described by Mercedes as "a milestone on the way to the autonomous city bus." The Read More...
Solar Impulse team predicts solar electric passenger planes within 10 years
The co-pilots and founders of Solar Impulse – the remarkable solar powered plane that is making a ground-breaking flight around the world – have made a stunning prediction: There will be short-haul electric planes for up to 50 people operating within 10 years. “This is the Read More...
Plans unveiled for first “Tesla Town,” where solar PV & Powerwalls are standard
Less than six months after Australia received its first shipment of Tesla Powerwalls, plans for what could be the world’s first “Tesla town” – a mini-suburb on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD whose new-build homes will include rooftop solar and Tesla battery storage as Read More...
California hit yet another record high in solar energy generation
In California, the solar power industry is having a field day. For the second time in as many years, the largest electricity grid in the state broke its own solar generation record with 8,030 megawatts (MW) output at 1:06pm local time July 12, 2016. California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Read More...
New tool calculates emissions impacts, energy benefits from smart grid investments
"Smart grid" technologies significantly reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions resulting from power production and usage. Taken together, smart grid and intelligent buildings mechanisms could reduce national carbon emissions by 12 percent by 2030, according to one estimate. But, surprisingly, Read More...
Ford invests in mapping startup for self-driving cars
Ford is among five investors putting $6.6 million into a California startup that generates three-dimensional maps to help guide self-driving cars. Civil Maps, which was founded in 2014, uses artificial intelligence to convert data obtained from a car’s sensors into map information for use in Read More...
Clean energy innovation turns river mouths into power stations
Scientists have developed an efficient system to generate electricity from salt water. Their research outlines how significant amounts of power can be generated from a natural phenomenon that occurs when fresh river water comes into contact with seawater through a membrane. The potential of the new Read More...
Nissan cars are about to get some awesome self-driving features
Tesla isn't the only automaker bringing autonomous driving features to its cars. Nissan recently announced that it will release its ProPILOT semi-autonomous technology in its new Serena car in Japan starting in late August. But the tech is also slated to arrive in Europe in 2017, and eventually in Read More...