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 Great Transition away from fossil fuels — Lester Brown takes a close look
Lester Brown is a legendary figure in the US environmental movement. Founder of Worldwatch Institute and of the Earth Policy Institute, he has made his mark as an influential thinker on issues of sustainability, including food, population and energy. His new book details the accelerating pace of Read More...
Solar roads are the way of the future
If a six-month experiment in the Netherlands is any indication, roads paved with solar panels can provide a solid alternative for renewable energy generation. So far, results have exceeded expectations. In this context, it is encouraging to know that similar projects are brewing in the United Read More...
Community-led programs accelerate transition to renewable energy across America
Community Choice Aggregation programs are bringing competition into power generation by letting cities and counties decide where their energy comes from. California's local authorities are leading the way, supporting governor Jerry Brown’s new ambitious climate goals to have the state produce 50 Read More...
Cyprus becomes testing ground for cutting-edge Australian solar technology
The Mediterranean island nation is bound by a European Union target of 13 percent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020. It also needs energy to power desalination plants in order to remedy its water shortages. If the CSIRO’s (Australia’s national science agency) “solar thermal Read More...
Hawaii aims for 100-percent renewable electricity by 2045
Electricity in Hawaii costs three times as much as the national average. That’s because most of it is generated by power plants fueled by expensive imported oil. That is bound to change as the state legislature passed a bill this week that sets a 100-percent renewable electricity goal by 2045. Read More...
Germany is replacing nuclear reactors with massive offshore wind farms
Nuclear power is a thing of the past in Germany, ever since the country committed to phasing our nuclear plants in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. It has already been reduced from 25 percent to 17 percent in the past four years. Although Germany resorted to cheap coal in a Read More...
Portable sun-tracking solar system gives 40 percent more output
Many potential customers are kept out of the rooftop solar market by logistics requirements such as home ownership and roof availability. Portable, and with 40 percent more output than traditional solar panels, the sun-tracking Smartflower POP system is a 3.2 kW solar energy generator that you can Read More...
US solar firms invest to power more than 200.000 homes in rural Kenya
Decentralized solar holds huge potential to meet electricity demand in regions of the world where no centralized power grid is available. California-based Powerhive and First Solar plan to reach more than 200,000 homes and businesses with solar-powered micro-grids. The project will address some Read More...
Developers work to make Egypt’s government accountable
Three years after Egypt's Arab Spring toppled the corrupt regime of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians are still struggling to make their government accountable. In fact, Egypt ranked 91 out of 102 countries on the recently released Open Government Index. Thankfully a new web platform was recently launched Read More...
North Korea’s quiet revolution is powered by solar panels
A limited power grid and regular blackouts are a way of life in North Korea. Including in winter when freezing temperatures reduces hydropower capacity. Over the past year, foreign observers have been noticing an unusual sight on a growing number of residential buildings in the capital Pyongyang Read More...