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.
The world’s most cutting-edge renewable tech is powering rural Africa
Where better to test the latest and most advanced solar power technology than in an area where the sun shines most: Africa. About 600 million Africans are without electricity and away from any grid infrastructure. That's why so many solar power companies consider rural Africa as a fantastic testing Read More...
London's first driverless cars revealed
The design for the first driverless cars to be tested on the streets of London has been revealed. The consortium behind the trial has decided to adapt electric passenger shuttles that are currently in service at Heathrow Airport for use in Greenwich. Unlike the Heathrow pods, they will not need Read More...
Peer-to-peer power: Finance tech comes to solar energy
Peer-to-peer lending is changing the finance world. No longer do borrowers have to go through a bank to get a loan. Instead, they can be matched directly with investors and bypass the role that traditional banks have played as intermediaries. This makes financing projects much simpler, and solar Read More...
Renewables to surpass coal as world’s primary power source by 2030
In November, the International Energy Agency quietly dropped this bombshell projection: “Driven by continued policy support, renewables account for half of additional global generation, overtaking coal around 2030 to become the largest power source.” In this post, I’ll dive deeper Read More...
Northern Ireland wind energy 'cheaper than gas generation' by 2020
Business GENERATING power through onshore wind farms will be cheaper than through new gas projects by 2020, according to a leading lobby group. But the Northern Ireland Renewable Industry Group (NIRIG) said that would only be possible through if "appropriate policy and regulatory conditions" were Read More...
Clean, Hybrid Versions Of London's Iconic Cabs Can Now Hit The Streets
You’d think that a greener, hybrid version of London’s famous black cabs would be a good thing for the traffic-choked British capital—and you’d be right. Unless, that is, you’re the current manufacturer of the iconic taxi, in which case you’d do anything to block Read More...
Kyocera begins construction on world's largest floating solar power plant
Japan doesn’t have much land suitable for hosting solar farms, but that’s not stopping the island nation from harnessing the power of the sun. Japanese multinational manufacturer Kyocera has announced it has begun construction on a floating solar power plant atop the Yamakura Dam reservoir. Read More...
UK allows electric cars in bus lanes to boost the uptake of cleaner cars
Electric cars are seen as a key way for the UK to meet its carbon budgets and cut the illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution that blight many British cities. The number of 100% electric cars registered in the UK in 2015 nearly doubled on the year before, to 9,934. In Norway, incentives Read More...
US can make fast shift to clean energy and save billions, new study says
A new study shows that the United States could shutter coal-fired power plants by 2030, maintain a steady power supply—and save billions of dollars. The country has more than enough clean renewable energy capacity to replace the coal-fired power stations. The challenge: How to move electricity Read More...
Vietnam to phase out coal, invest in gas and renewables
Vietnam’s prime minister says the country will stop building coal power plants and look to gas and renewables to power its electricity grid. In a statement on the government website, Nguyen Tan Dung said new energy plans should protect the environment and strictly follow “international Read More...