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.
New treatment kills cancer cells in terminally ill patients
There are about 12,200 new head and neck cancer cases in the UK every year, and many of these patients are diagnosed at advanced stages when the disease is very difficult to treat. The standard treatment currently offered to many patients with advanced cancer is “extreme” chemotherapy, which Read More...
Shatner’s space voyage reminds us of Star Trek’s inspirational messages
This week, one of the entertainment world’s most famous space explorers actually traveled into space. William Shatner, who played Star Trek's Captain Kirk, became the oldest person to venture to the final frontier aboard a Blue Origin rocket. On October 13, Shatner and a crew of three others Read More...
Japan strives to harness the incredible power of typhoons
In the last week of September, the metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, along with the country’s chain of small offshore islands, was narrowly missed by Mindulle, the third super typhoon to form in the Western Pacific this year. The storm, which originated close to the island of Guam, had powerful wind Read More...
Why fish poop is more important than we realize
A new study published in Science Advances has some news for the scientific community: We should be paying more attention to fish poop. While not a glamorous subject, the study finds that fish and their feces play an underappreciated role in ocean ecosystems. Why fish? Phytoplankton in the Read More...
Shareholder pressure leads to right-to-repair evaluation at major tech company
The EU and the UK have both recently expanded right to repair laws aimed at reducing e-waste and saving customers money. As this movement gains popularity, Microsoft shareholders have successfully pressured the company into expanding the repairability of its goods. Although the US has limited Read More...
The enduring optimism of Star Trek
“It isn't all over; everything has not been invented; the human adventure is just beginning.” - Gene Roddenberry Something kind of magical happened this week and we wanted to take a moment to celebrate. One of the entertainment world’s most famous space explorers actually traveled into Read More...
This 3D-printed device is the most advanced wearable design yet
From watches that capture our heart rate to sweat-powered devices, wearable technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years. This doesn’t only hold implications for your personal workout routine. Researchers from the University of Arizona have come up with 3D-printed wearable Read More...
These bike garages in Denmark are made from recycled wind turbine blades
While wind turbines play an important role in our transition towards a post-carbon world, they do pose a few environmental concerns. For example, most of the wind turbines operating today have a lifespan of about 20 years, which means that a large number of these gigantic pieces of machinery will Read More...
Drug derived from Himalayan fungus shows potency for killing cancer cells
A new study spearheaded by Professor Sarah Blagden and Dr. Hagen Schwenzer, researchers from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with biopharmaceutical company NuCana, has led to a novel chemotherapy drug that demonstrates significant potency in killing cancer cells. The new drug, called Read More...
Ocean Cleanup Project reports successful trial of its newest and largest system
From ocean trash capture systems to innovative river barges, The Ocean Cleanup Project is dedicated to cleaning our waterways of pollution. In recent years, the organization has focused on scaling up its solutions to address massive areas of pollution, like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Their Read More...