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.
Investment in energy storage vital for renewable energy success
A new report has concluded that investment in energy storage technology is vital for the success of renewable energy and its full integration into the energy sector. According to a new study published by researchers from the University of East Anglia (UAE), government subsidies should be used so as Read More...
New solar cell breaks efficiency ceiling, theory goes out window
If you thought the upper limit of solar cell efficiency was 32 percent in April, think again in May. Last week, MIT News reported on a research team that demonstrated how a silicon solar cell could top the theoretical limit of 32 percent. See you later, Shockley-Queisser Limit, and don’t let Read More...
China Is Going Solar In A Big Way
China is investing in solar in a big way, which is great news for the rest of us. China is a nation of 1.36 billion souls, so even though it has only just passed Germany (population 81.6 million) in terms of installed solar capacity, it’s easily on track to leave it in the dust. According to Read More...
Baking bread and roasting peanuts with solar energy in Africa
Solar energy is the backbone of the clean energy future, and it mostly comes through solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, which produce electricity for homes and businesses. However, in the developing world solar PV is more often still an expensive solution. Solar energy can also directly produce heat Read More...
Japanese engineers plan to introduce flying car at 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Haven’t you thought about it when you were stuck in an endless traffic jam: The flying car. That dream is fast becoming a reality. AeroMobil, a Slovakian company, which unveiled a prototype in 2014, while Terrafugia in the U.S. is aiming to complete its TF-X flying vehicle by 2018. Read More...
No more batteries: Electric cars charged wirelessly by the roads they drive on
Electric cars are the solution for air pollution in cities. But they need batteries that, so far, limit their radius and they are heavy and expensive. But what if the street provides electricity for the car to run? We are familiar with street cars or trams that are powered by cables. The next step Read More...
The electric car you can charge next to your phone
Li Xiang was earning 10 times more than his parents from part-time jobs when he left school in 1999 to focus on a website before starting Autohome Inc., China’s premier car-buying portal. Now, he plans to not just sell vehicles, but design and build them too. QuickTake Cleaner Cars Chehejia, Read More...
San Francisco nabs significant federal funding for hydrogen and fuel cell efforts
San Francisco’s embrace of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for local transportation just got a big boost from the federal government. The Energy Department’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) will direct nearly $4.5 million in funding for San Read More...
Global renewable energy employment rose 5% in 2015
More clean energy also brings more jobs. A boom in solar and wind power jobs in the U.S. led the way to a global increase in renewable energy employment to more than 8 million people in 2015, according to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). In 2015 almost 800,000 Read More...
Apple explores charging stations for electric vehicles
Apple is investigating how to charge electric cars, talking to charging station companies and hiring engineers with expertise in the area, according to people familiar with the matter and a review of LinkedIn profiles. For more than a year, Silicon Valley has been buzzing about Apple's plan to Read More...