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.
‘Strange metal’ may be the future for a more energy efficient world
Strange metal behavior was first noticed around 30 years ago. These materials are composed of copper-oxides and carry the properties of being high-temperature superconductors. This means they can transfer electricity very efficiently, withstanding much higher temperatures with less energy loss than Read More...
Science Moms are on a mission to spread science-based climate optimism
When we feel overwhelmed and hopeless, many of us turn to our mothers or the mother figures we have in our lives for comfort and encouragement. As adults the challenges we face are much bigger than a scraped knee, with wider problems like climate change possibly luring us into despair. Luckily, Read More...
Ancient humans wandered Ethiopia long before previously predicted
Out of Africa One of the most prevalent questions in the human psyche is “where did we come from?”. People have different evolutionary theories about the exact movements and locations of early Homo sapiens, though it is widely accepted that Africa was our species' birthplace. Numerous Read More...
Smart harness helps visually impaired people avoid collisions while walking
As many automotive companies scramble to shape the future of mobility, self-driving cars have been one of the most talked-about topics in the tech scene in recent years. Many believe that autonomous vehicles could help solve many of the problems related to our current transportation systems in Read More...
Study: laughter is common among more than 65 species of animals
While laughter may seem like a trait exclusive to human behavior, nothing could be further from the truth. That’s at least according to a recent study which has found that the phenomenon of laughter is actually quite common in the animal kingdom too. Can animals laugh? Conducted by scientists Read More...
Key ingredient in cat litter could help reduce methane emissions
In recent years, carbon capture technologies have started playing an increasingly important role in our global quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. Now, researchers at MIT have started working on solving another problem — removing methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 80 Read More...
China’s “artificial sun” fusion reactor breaks yet another record
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has exciting news about its fusion reactor that it recently shared in a release. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) fusion reactor successfully sustained a plasma temperature of 120 million degrees Celsius for 1,056 seconds, effectively Read More...
Ocean Battery could help solve the renewable energy storage problem
The lack of adequate energy storage systems is one of the biggest problems associated with the rise of renewables such as wind and solar in recent years. In an effort to provide a solution, a Dutch startup has invented the Ocean Battery — an energy storage system that operates by the same Read More...
Mapping out the Milky Way’s snacks gives clues into dark matter
In our galaxy’s galactic halo, there are 12 streams of stars orbiting. These burning balls of gas are actually being torn apart and their energy is absorbed into the Milky Way. In other words, they are the galaxy’s food source. Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT), a team has finally got Read More...
World’s smallest antenna created from DNA
Scientists, from the Université de Montréal, have constructed the world’s tiniest antenna in an incredible experiment. This nanoantenna is made entirely from DNA and its purpose is to monitor structural changes of protein molecules in never before achieved detail. What is the device made out Read More...