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.
Monkeys' taste for booze helps explain humans' alcohol affinity
Humans have a long societal and evolutionary history with alcohol. Studies have shown that alcohol metabolizing systems appeared in our primate ancestors long before humans ever existed, between seven and 21 million years ago. Researchers from California State University released a new study on Read More...
Astronomers spot the beginnings of a “baby gas giant”
We can take up astronomy now, buy a good telescope, and go out on the right night to look up at the sky and marvel at the gaseous planets of our own solar system. These are of course Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. However, we average enthusiasts would need some different equipment, and Read More...
A treasure trove of dinosaur fossils discovered in Chile
Dinosaurs pervade the human imagination. More than that, their fossils give us an understanding of our planet and life’s early history. A recently discovered fossil of thescelosaurus neglectus gave paleontologists a look into dinosaurs’ last moments before the asteroid struck, the fossil having Read More...
Nocturnal solar panels: not an oxymoron
While trying to do the impossible might seem like magical thinking, in many cases, it is simply science that hasn’t broken through yet. In the case of solar panels, it might seem counterintuitive to try to use them at night. This too, though, has been proven possible. An engineering team Read More...
Study: Spiders use their webs to hear
The Optimist Daily recently reported on how spiders use electricity to fly by hopping on electric fields for a ride. If you ask us, that’s pretty cool. Now we wanted to share a new study, from Binghamton University, that has revealed more intriguing secrets about these eight-legged Read More...
Non-surgical implant uses lasers to suppress hunger and treat obesity
While there is a common misconception that those who struggle with obesity are simply careless with their diets or aren’t working out enough, the truth is that there are a number of complex factors that contribute to weight issues. Sometimes, certain operations or devices can help people lose Read More...
Paleontologists find dinosaur fossil from the day of the asteroid
Thanks to carbon dating and a number of other scientific detecting techniques, we can sometimes see moments in time and deduce exactly what happened. It’s a little like solving a crime from 66 million years ago, and, in this case, the crime was the asteroid that killed the Read More...
Germany accelerates schedule to become carbon neutral
People are more animated than ever before for green energy and calling on their governments to aim bigger. And it seems like they're listening. With increasing gas prices from the war in Ukraine and scientists' warnings about climate change, governments realize the need for a speedier change to Read More...
Virtual reality therapy helps those with agoraphobia
We’ve all spent a little too long inside before, especially with the pandemic restrictions of the last couple of years, and maybe we were a little nervous to rejoin public spaces. For those with agoraphobia — an anxiety disorder where someone can feel particularly fearful in public spaces — Read More...
What? Fish can calculate?
Fish keep surprising us with their unexpected skills. We previously wrote a story on how goldfish can be trained to operate a vehicle and another about how some work together as superorganisms and basically use radar technology. On top of all this, would you have ever guessed that they can perform Read More...