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.
How does LSD help an anxious brain?
Here at The Optimist Daily, we’ve commonly discussed how psychedelics potentially treat mental illnesses. With their power to alter our brains in miraculous ways, researchers are racing to understand their power. Scientists don’t fully understand the human brain itself yet, therefore lots of Read More...
The James Dyson Award: a call to young inventors
The Optimist Daily has written about many winners of the James Dyson Award. This is an international design award that celebrates, encourages, and inspires the next generation of design engineers. It is open to current and recent design engineering students and is run by the James Dyson Foundation, Read More...
Here’s why mosquitos still bite us even when wearing repellent
As the warmer months approach, the number of mosquito bites you're getting is probably starting to rise. Those pesky insects use their mouths to penetrate our skin and suck up our blood, leaving an itchy, swollen bite in its place. For some areas in the world, a bite from one of these animals Read More...
James Webb Space Telescope releases first stunning image of a star
An update on the James Webb Space Telescope is hitting your newsfeed again as it makes another landmark step in its journey to help us explore the universe. The telescope set off in late December 2021, with the mission to change how we study deep space forever. The Optimist Daily previously Read More...
Drug used to treat alcoholism effectively treats vision disorders in mice
Researchers at the University of California, Berkley, have realized that a drug once commonly used to treat alcoholism might also be useful in improving the sight of individuals with vision disorders. The drug disulfiram (also known as Antabuse) was first tested on mice when researchers Read More...
How biochar can mitigate carbon from farmlands to urban centers
Biochar has long been hailed in the environmental community as a potent solution for mitigating certain aspects of climate change, from fixing soil erosion to upping water absorption and pulling carbon out of the atmosphere. Now, there is a growing list of industries that might improve their Read More...
What the moon tells us about the early universe
Did you know that the distance between the Earth and the moon is constantly changing? The space between them can change as much as 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in six hours and the average distance between them is growing each year.An international team of researchers was able to learn much more Read More...
The secrets of body-to-brain communication
There are so many types of communication that occur in our world, some of which you’ve probably never even considered. Having a chat over coffee, fungal networks sending each other signals underground, or even plant-to-farmer communication, there are so many types of relationships that rely on Read More...
The gene that could stop Parkinson's disease
Scientists are always working tirelessly to figure out new, effective treatments for complex neurological conditions. Here at The Optimist Daily, we’ve reported on many before, such as non-invasive brain surgery for people with epilepsy and using brain signals to allow a man with paralysis to Read More...
How to help the ocean from anywhere
We all have one big thing in common these days: the changing climate. We are all united by this because it will affect all of us, be it in the form of winter storms, drought, or sea-level rise. The good news is that we can all affect the climate too, in a positive way. Even living in the Midwest, Read More...