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.
Global moonshot plan aims to make renewable energy cheaper than coal
UK scientists, economists and businessmen including Sir David King, currently the UK’s climate change envoy, Lord Nicholas Stern and ex-BP chief Lord John Browne launched a moonshot plan yesterday. The goal is to make the cost of clean electricity lower than that from coal-fired power stations Read More...
Affordable alternative to rooftop solar arrays arrives in US market
The SolarMill, a 1.2-kW combination wind and solar energy system, will be sold for about $3,000. WindStream Technologies meant for the technology to be deployed primarily in disadvantaged regions of the world with poor energy access. But the company was prompted by U.S. residents’ interest in the Read More...
California deploys free solar panels in disadvantaged neighborhoods
For all its efforts with rooftop solar deployment, California has yet to show that decentralized renewable energy is not just a luxury that only the middle-class and high-income residents can afford. A new program run by nonprofit Grid Alternatives aims to install solar systems in disadvantaged Read More...
Robots’ duality in question: Technology saves lives despite potential for evil
The potential for robots to cause evil is a stark reality. At the same time, researchers and companies around the world are already demonstrating the power of robotics and AI technologies to save lives, including in the operating room and in areas hit by natural disasters. There, in a nutshell, are Read More...
Quadriplegic man drinks his first beer thanks to mind-controlled technology
Mind over matter—such is the path followed by scientists seeking to allow people with missing or paralyzed limbs to enjoy some autonomy of movement. Since it was first demonstrated in 2006, the technology that relies on brain implants keeps being refined. Here is the story of a man who was able Read More...
Pakistan turns desert into a sea of solar panels
More than a third of Pakistan’s population does not have access to electricity, and power shortages hinder economic growth. That situation may be about to improve as a 100-megawatt solar farm built by a Chinese company in the Punjab province just came online. Its capacity is expected to exceed Read More...
Global solar market to grow 30-percent this year
The price of solar panels keeps tumbling but manufacturers are finding a sweet spot after three challenging years: volume is finally making up for the price drop as demand surges. The solar panel market is expected to grow by 30 percent this year, according to Bloomberg, driven by growing Read More...
Bladeless turbine to make wind-energy systems affordable and easy to maintain
Spain has long been a wind-energy pioneer. It should only be fitting that the latest, hottest wind innovation comes from the South European nation. Spanish startup Vortex Bladeless has developed a technology to harvest energy from wind without using blades—as it names suggests. Because it has no Read More...
California’s 2030 renewable energy plan will save $51 billion a year
Governor Jerry Brown made headlines last January when he announced an ambitious plan to source 50 percent of energy from renewables by 2030. A new analysis by Strategen Consulting now confirms that the plan is not only achievable, but also “economically sound (and) environmentally beneficial.” Read More...
Emerging economies embrace renewables twice as fast as industrialized nations
Emerging economies have been hindered by the lack of reliable, safe and affordable energy. It turns out that renewable power fits the bill better than fossil fuels, with its adoption growing twice as fast in those countries than in industrialized nations, according to a recent report from Bloomberg Read More...