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.
Russia could get all its electricity from renewable sources by 2030
If you read about Russia in the media, it's usually not good news. Reinforcing stereotypes is, sadly, how the news industry works. So you won't have much chance reading elsewhere about a report showing that Russia could become a "highly energy-competitive" region by getting all its electricity from Read More...
Kia aims for self-driving car by 2030
The steady democratization of autonomous car technology continues at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, with populist South Korean automaker Kia announcing Tuesday that it is stepping up its mission to create a self-driving car for the masses by 2030. In the nearer term, Kia executive vice Read More...
UK wind industry smashes records in 2015
2015 was a record-breaking year for the British wind industry, with onshore and offshore farms providing a larger-than-ever share of the UK's electricity, according to new data released today by National Grid. Last year the UK generated 11 per cent of its electricity from wind, up from 9.5 per cent Read More...
Look again. A wood-fired power plant
The picture shows a power plant that looks like any other fossil fuel burning facility. That makes sense because the Drax power station in the United Kingdom used to be a coal-fired plant and one of Britain’s biggest polluters. However, today, the same plant is fired by wood chips and has turned Read More...
What the year will bring for electric cars
While Tesla announced this weekend it broke the 50,000 mark in deliveries of its luxury electric vehicles last year, there's hardly a moment to catch a breath when it comes to the booming e-car industry. Here's a look at what exciting new cars will come to market in 2016. (Watch out for Citroen's Read More...
Wind and solar ready for 2016 records in spite of cheap fossil fuels
This year is set to be another record-breaking year for renewable energy because of infrastructural investments made in 2015. Wind and solar power are surging as a clean-energy construction boom gains momentum in spite of a global glut of cheap fossil fuels. Installations of wind turbines and solar Read More...
Russia could go 100% renewable in 15 years
Russia could go 100% renewable by 2030, and cut their energy costs by 20%, say researchers. A study found that the cheapest option for Russia and Central Asia in the long term is to go renewable, based on the abundance of resources in the continent. The researchers, from Lappeenranta University of Read More...
Embracing driverless cars lead us into a future free of car accidents
It's a fact that over 90% of the car crashes are caused by human error. For years and years, governments and traffic organizations have done everything they can to promote safe driving. But it's hard to change human behavior, to stop reckless driving, forgetting to signal before crossing a lane, or Read More...
Speeding up the hydrogen highway
Drivers are seeing more hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on the road, but refueling stations for those vehicles are still few and far between. This is about to change, and one reason is a new testing device being validated at California refueling stations that will greatly accelerate Read More...
Obama just released the biggest energy efficiency rule in U.S. history
They dribble out regularly — Energy Department rules or “standards” that require ever improving levels of energy efficiency for dishwashers, refrigerators, and much more. On Thursday, though, the Department dumped what it is describing as the “largest energy-saving standard Read More...