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.
Want a brain that's 7 years younger? Science says do this
If you want to feel younger, there's no substitute for healthy living and hitting the gym (though a flattering haircut and a fun night out can't hurt). But what if you want to think younger? Our brains are remarkably resilient, even growing new brain cells deep into adulthood, but even this Read More...
Ditch the bus: Self-driving electric golf carts are ferrying students on university campuses
Google guesses it will be 30 years or more before truly autonomous vehicles can drive anywhere on public roads. Shortening that timeline means improving the technology, or simplifying the environment. Auro Robotics is choosing the latter. The three-year-old startup is starting to deploy autonomous Read More...
Smart grid uses blockchain to record transactions in its sustainable energy network
Rapid change happens when new technologies “marry”. When the telephone and the computer wedded, the Internet was born. Now, an interesting marriage emerges between microgrids, providing sustainable, renewable energy and the blockchain, the bitcoin technology to record transactions. Read More...
Ford plans long-range electric car to compete with Tesla, GM
Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce a long-range electric vehicle to compete with battery-powered models coming from Tesla Motors Inc. and General Motors Co. that would go 200 miles or more on a charge. “Our approach, very simply, is we want to make sure that we’re either among the Read More...
The transcendental revelations of astronauts
Astronaut Kjell Lindgren spent close to five months on the International Space Station last year serving as a NASA flight engineer and mission specialist. He still remembers the first time he saw the Earth from space. "I saw this really bright white light coming through the small windows of the Read More...
Natural gas increasingly becoming an unnecessary bridge to nowhere
Setting a new lopsided quarterly record, renewable sources (i.e., wind, solar, biomass and hydropower) outpaced—in fact, swamped—natural gas by a factor of more than 70:1 for new electrical generating capacity placed in-service during the first three months of calendar year 2016. Read More...
Austria joins countries aiming for rapid ban gas and diesel cars
In recent weeks India, The Netherlands, and Norway have announced that they are considering banning sales of new non-electric cars from 2025 onwards. Now there are reports that Austria is joining this group and it wants to get even sooner to the all-electric car era: in 2020. The news underlines an Read More...
Google partners Uber on driverless cars
Google has formed a coalition with carmakers and taxi-hailing companies to help steer the regulations needed to make self-drive cars a reality. Including Ford, Volvo, Uber and Lyft, it will lobby lawmakers and regulators on some of the legal barriers. Former US National Highway Traffic Safety Read More...
Charge your cell phone with a plant
Energy is everywhere. This Barcelona-based startup developed a simple device allowing you to charge your cell phone three times a day with the power of the roots of a plant. The Bioo taps into the 'biological battery' inside the base of the plant. According to the company, all that is required from Read More...
New York initiative enhances solar purchase power of citizens
Solarize NYC is the new initiative of New York City to promote solar energy. It allows communities, business districts and places of worship to team up and purchase green energy as one group, enhancing their purchase power. Customers could save up to 20 percent, and local solar energy producers Read More...