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.
Another reason to get swimming this summer: It’s good for our brains!
It’s summertime and the weather is hot (in the Northern hemisphere at least), which means you’re probably itching to cool off in some water. In addition to saving you from the summer heat, it turns out that swimming actually has cognitive benefits as well. Let’s dive deeper into its brain Read More...
Barnacle-inspired glue can stop bleeding in less than 30 seconds
Currently, most bleedings during surgery or traumatic injury are stopped with hemostatic agents, materials that induce the blood to clot. These, however, can take a few minutes to work and don’t always do their job properly if there’s too much blood, which can make it difficult to get adhesives Read More...
Sustainable wood-based batteries could power the future of e-travel
While the world is steadily moving towards a predominantly battery-powered future, conventional batteries still pose a few major sustainability- and efficiency-related challenges. Seeking to come up with a solution, Finnish designer Stora Enso is working on a wood-based material that could produce Read More...
Scientists observe supernova explosion in unprecedented detail
In a world-first, astronomers have recorded the earliest moments of a supernova — the powerful explosion of a massive star — in unprecedented detail. The observation is a celebratory moment in the world of astronomy that could help improve our knowledge about what happens to stars the moment Read More...
German farm demonstrates dual benefits of agrivoltaic systems
Agrivoltaic systems make for the perfect symbiotic relationships on farms. They combine solar panels and farming to provide localized renewable energy while helping shade crops to reduce water usage. The plants also work to cool the solar panels for increased productivity. At one farm in Germany, Read More...
Tiny light-shooting tool may offer new insights into human brain activity
While fundamental to everything our body does, the complex networks created by neurons in the brain are still not completely understood by scientists. However, getting a good grasp of how these networks are creating by neural signals is key to treating problems such as epilepsy, depression, and Read More...
Researchers make a surprising discovery about common west coast flower
The western false asphodel, or Triantha occidentalis, was first noted in the scientific record in 1879 and commonly dwells in bogs near urban centers of the Pacific Northwest. Despite being on scientists’ radar for over 140 years, it was not until very recently that researchers discovered a Read More...
New technique may soon enable human-like sensation in prosthetics
Replicating the familiar sense of human touch is one of the most pressing challenges facing roboticists who are working on improving bionic limps. That problem may soon be solved, however, thanks to a team of researchers that has recently developed a new tactile sensing method that could augment Read More...
Novel material converts waste heat to electricity with record efficiency
Researchers at Northwestern University have come up with an extremely high-performing thermoelectric material that may be the most efficient yet at converting waste heat into electricity. Thermoelectric systems generate electricity by using a temperature gradient. When one side of special material Read More...
Simple parking policy incentivizes employees to take greener routes to work
A key goal of public transportation is to reduce the number of cars on the road and therefore improve air quality and reduce emissions, especially in urban areas, but a small detail in the US federal tax code is actually working against this goal. The federal tax code has an exemption for Read More...