Today’s Solutions: November 14, 2024

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.

Montreal Convention Center Solar Material

This sustainable solar panel can go on buildings or your clothes

When you see the new sunlight-absorbing material developed by Carvey Ehren Maigue, an engineering student from the Philippines, the colors might remind you of the Aurora Borealis.  In fact, Auroras were what inspired Maigue when he named his new game-changing material, AuREUS. This is a new Read More...

Wind turbine in snow

100 percent renewable energy could prevent natural disaster blackouts

With storms growing in intensity the world over, such as Storm Eunice in Europe, solutions for enduring extreme weather are greater than ever. Adapting energy grids is particularly important to avoid blackouts.  Recent research shows, fortunately, that switching entirely to renewable energy Read More...

Clove essential oil on a wooden table next to a container with cloves

Clove oil can help slow down the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases

Synthetic insecticides are often effective and the weapon of choice when it comes to killing mosquito larvae, which is the best way to slow down the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. These chemicals, however, often have a negative impact on the surrounding environment. A simple way to Read More...

Image of how ultrasound waves targeting the brain in a non-invasive sonogenetic technique.

Did you know brain cells can be controlled with sound?

“Going wireless is the future for just about everything!” That is a quote from scientist Sreekanth Chalasani, and we can’t help but agree. Wireless medical inventions like bone-health monitors and pacemakers are catching on, as well as the possibility of universal car chargers. We also Read More...

Underwater coral reef background.

Two-thirds of seafloor life is waiting to be discovered

Most of our planet is filled with water. Amazingly, though, two-thirds of life occupying the seafloor is still waiting to be discovered, finds a recent study published in Science Advances. DNA sequencing techniques also revealed that there is at least three times more life on the seafloor than Read More...

Oil spill on water

Sunlight helps dissolve oil spills

In a recent study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, researchers discovered that approximately 10 percent of oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico was dissolved by sunlight.  Oil can partially dissipate and dissolve in seawater through natural processes, which scientists account for. These Read More...

Abstract 3d rendering illustration of a blue small star going supernova.

New type of "ashy" star discovered

Space is a marvel. From the Milkyway to supernovas, there is a whole universe out there to be understood - quite literally! The latest discovery in space news is a new type of star, spotted by a team of astronomers from the University of Tubingen. Usually, the surfaces of stars are composed of Read More...

variety of broken glass items with a mountain of cullet in the background

UK man has a plan to reduce glass waste

Lately, and for obvious reasons, there’s been a lot of attention on figuring out what to do with all the plastic clogging up our oceans and waterways. While solving this problem is obviously important, the plastic issue also highlights an overarching problem, not necessarily with hard-to-recycle Read More...

Serre Chevalier ski resort

“All we need is change”—Serre Chevalier makes skiing more sustainable

Does the climate catastrophe that we find ourselves in herald the end of ski resorts? Visiting the slopes for a weekend of skiing and snowboarding is now tinged with the guilt of all the environmental damage that goes along with it.  Between the short-haul, carbon-emitting flights many skiers Read More...

Novoloop founders

Female-led start-up Novoloop figures out how to upcycle plastic waste

A new, female-led US-based start-up, Novoloop, has an exciting announcement— they’ve come up with an effective solution to problematic polyethylene (aka the regular everyday plastic that’s polluting our planet). Scientists and Novoloop founders Jeanny Yao and Miranda Wang have been working Read More...