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.
China on track to beat climate targets as renewables soar and coal consumption drops
China has a long way to go to clean up its heavily polluted cities. But, at least, the trend is in the right direction. Figures for 2015 show that wind and solar energy surged and consumption of coal, which still provides two-thirds of China’s power, dropped. The country’s solar and wind energy Read More...
Solar cells inspired by moth eyes can harvest energy indoors
Sometimes researchers draw their finest inspiration for their inventions from animals or insects, like the Namib Desert Beetle, which inspired the self-filling water bottle. British researchers have found a clever way to harvest energy while inside: by imitating moths. They’ve created a Read More...
Researchers create solar cells so thin and light they float on a soap bubble
Here’s a peak into the future of solar cells. At MIT, researchers have created the thinnest and lightest solar cells ever made. The solar cells are so thin and light they can sit on a soap bubble. The team of researchers found out how to combine three separate processes—making the solar cell, Read More...
Meet the world's largest floating solar-energy farm
The 23,000 solar panels to be installed in the outskirts of London will become Europe’s – and momentarily, the world’s – largest floating solar-energy farm. But despite its spectacle, only few people will be able to actually see it. That’s because the solar panels will literally be Read More...
Here's how to make the transition to 100% renewable energy
The question no longer is whether we can make a transition to 100% renewable energy, but how we're going to achieve this. Richard Heinberg, of the Post Carbon Institute, and David Fridley, staff scientist of the energy analysis program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, have worked on a Read More...
South Africa just opened the continent’s first solar-powered airport
South Africa has opened the continent’s first solar-powered airport in Western Cape. George Airport which serves over 600,000 passengers annually, has launched a clean energy project which, during its first phase, will contribute around 40% of the airport’s electricity needs. Once Read More...
Renewables agency invests in energy retailer that wants to sell less
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) has backed a $5m investment in Mojo Power, an electricity retailer that helps households consume less energy and is already taking customers in New South Wales. The company works on a subscription model, where a monthly fee gives customers access to Read More...
The electric car revolution is now scheduled for 2022
The long-awaited, oft-delayed electric car revolution is now scheduled for 2022. That’s according to a report from research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, which posits that in just six years, the biggest obstacle to the sale of EVs—they cost too much—will be obliterated and Read More...
These states are adding tons of wind energy
On Tuesday, the American Wind Energy Association posted a very interesting list of new records being set by U.S. wind energy this month. For instance, in the power grid for the state of Texas — known as ERCOT, or the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas — wind generated 14,023 Read More...
Can a 16-mile stretch of road become the world's first sustainable highway?
There are 223,000 miles of heavily trafficked roads in the United States. They slice through landscapes, connecting communities and economies, but also bisecting and contaminating nature. Transportation accounts for more than 25% of total U.S. emissions, and busy roads can produce up to five times Read More...