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.
Largest private bank predicts major shift toward renewables in next 20 years
Could power plants become obsolete in the next two decades? That seems like a far off idea to some, but is exactly what UBS bank, the world’s largest private bank, has suggested in a recent briefing paper it sent to clients and investors. The German bank believes that current centralized energy Read More...
Sub-Saharan Africa will add more renewables in 2014 than in last 14 years combined
Clean energy technology is becoming more efficient, and affordable—two must-haves for widespread adoption. Because of this the sub-Saharan Africa is planning to roll out green energy sources, and in record numbers. The region will add about 1.8 gigawatts of capacity generated from renewable Read More...
Last month 100% of US power installs were renewable
Recent reports have the US trailing at the end of the list of the world’s most energy efficient countries, a bad title that leaves a lot of room for improvement. In July 2014 every single power installation in the US was of a renewable type. So far this year renewable installs have accounted for Read More...
This solar panel turns your window into an energy producer
Remember those times you actually needed a roof on your house to capture the sun’s energy? No more. Windows are the next frontier. Researchers from Michigan State University have designed a new type of solar concentrator that can be put over clear windows to turn them into solar cells. The Read More...
Noninvasive plants makes biofuels safer for the environment
Discovering the next crop for producing biofuel is difficult. The crop shouldn’t be a foodstuff, and would ideally be able to grow quickly in less nutrient rich soil, and have a natural resistance to diseases and pests—essentially the same characteristics as an invasive species. Because of the Read More...
UK posts record high renewable energy production
The United Kingdom posted a record for renewable energy production in the last quarter. UK renewable energy sources, particularly wind and hydropower, produced 18.1n terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy, or 43% more power than the same time period last year. The UK record comes on the heels of reports Read More...
Germany leads in sustainability and reliability
The story is that dependence of renewable energy makes power less reliable and stable as solar and wind energy are less predictable than conventional sources. But Germany is proving that all wrong. The country is leading the renewable energy charts while at the same time showing that it’s one of Read More...
Stacked solar cells make solar power cheaper than natural gas
New designs and approaches to solar are coming out weekly, but scientists have yet to attain the holy grail of 50 percent efficiency. Solar cells typically convert about 15 to 25 percent of the energy from sunlight into electricity—though 44.7 percent efficiency has been achieved in labs. A Read More...
China has already added enough solar this year to power Australia
China gets continued flack for its polluted cities and its title as the world’s leading emitter of carbon. But China is making great strides in sustainably sourced energy. So far this year China has added 3.3 gigawatts of solar capacity, or enough energy sourced from solar to power all of Read More...
How to win Google’s Million-dollar electricity challenge
Google has announced the Little Box challenge: a contest that will pay you $1 million if you build a 95% energy efficient power inverter, no bigger than a tablet, that’s capable of powering a house. A power inverter is a box that turns direct current that flows from solar panels or batteries, to Read More...