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.

HIV Cells

Maybe a cure? First woman cured of HIV - “The New York Patient”

In the last 20 years, a string of medical developments has greatly improved the quality of life and lowered the mortality rate of those living with HIV. While the outlook for those living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus has gotten better, the prospect of a cure has largely seemed far off, if Read More...

ethnic woman reaches into laundry machine

UK households get paid to curb daily energy use

Households in the UK could soon be paid to curb their electricity usage for a certain time of day (during peak usage hours) under a new scheme to help reduce energy bills while pushing for a zero-carbon power supply system. Starting in this past week, the trial for this plan, led by Octopus Read More...

The first fully autonomous biohybrid fish from human stem-cell derived cardiac muscle cells.

Scientists grow an artificial fish from human heart cells

From this headline you probably have a lot of questions, so let us explain. This seemingly crazy science experiment was carried out by a collaboration between Harvard University and Emory University, with the end goal of growing an artificial heart that pumps on its own. "Our ultimate goal is to Read More...

Pile of used, discarded batteries

This is how old batteries could help plants grow

Properly recycling our used batteries is key to preventing toxic waste from polluting the environment. With that said, recycling rates in Australia are quite discouraging, with about 97 percent of alkaline batteries ending up in landfills. A company called Envirostream wants to change that by Read More...

solar panels in dry hot California

California shades irrigation canals with solar panels to boost energy and save water

Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy industries in the world, however, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t faced with challenges in the widespread implementation and harvesting of solar power. One of the biggest issues with solar energy is that the land that is usually ideal Read More...

A user colors a digital mandala using a stylus on the main display. An EEG headset monitors brain signals and a peripheral display, in the form of an artists' palette, generates new colors based on the EEG data.

Understanding the brain through mindful mandala coloring

Mandala coloring is a centuries-old tradition. Coloring in these beautiful geometric configurations has been used by many as a technique for mindfulness, focusing your concentration on a certain task to improve overall mental health and wellbeing. Researchers, from the University of Lancaster, Read More...

Exercise after vaccine

Study: Exercise after vaccination may boost immunity

If you thought it was better to take it easy after getting your vaccine, you may want to think again. In a new study published by Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, researchers found that up to 90 minutes of mild-to-moderate exercise soon after receiving a vaccine could provide you with additional Read More...

High angle view of metallic vats in brewery for precision fermentation.

Precision fermentation: The food evolution to watch

Providing our readers with planet-saving tips and products is something we're passionate about at The Optimist Daily. With climate change lingering over humanity's head, people want to make changes in their everyday lives to slow this process as much as possible. This was apparent by the boost in Read More...

Ke Wu, a PhD student in BU’s department of mechanical engineering, demonstrates a new magnetic metamaterial device intended to be used in conjunction with MRI machines to boost the quality of brain scans.

Eccentric helmet may be the future of brain scans

We love reporting the latest cutting-edge medical inventions here at The Optimist Daily. In the past few months, we’ve written about an antibiotic-resistant sensor that drastically reduces diagnosis time and a magnetic device for better prosthetic limb control. This time we want to tell you about Read More...

Chicago Microgrid

The Bronzeville microgrid: One part of a bigger, safer future

Unpredictable and impactful weather events like wildfires, snowstorms, and tornadoes present a particular problem for large areas with large unifying power grids. In one wild day, a whole city’s power and essential services can be shut off. It’s for this reason that researchers and utilities Read More...