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.
This device connects to your fingertips to produce energy while you sleep
Earlier this year, we wrote about a breakthrough study from the University of Tokyo, where scientists invented a sustainable smart-watch battery that uses nothing but the wearer’s sweat to generate electricity. Following in the footsteps of that innovation, engineers at the University of Read More...
Common Voices strives to represent languages neglected by big tech
Technological advancements of recent years decades made information more accessible, have supported a lot of economic growth and global development, and have made it easier to make and maintain connections… for some. However, there are communities that are left behind by such rapid-fire Read More...
Austin neighborhood to be transformed into self-sufficient solar town
An Austin neighborhood is getting a green upgrade in an attempt to become a self-sufficient solar-powered town. Through partnering with Tesla and developer Dacra and Brookfield Asset Management, the town plans to equip houses with V3 solar roof tiles, Tesla chargers, and Powerwall Read More...
Researchers allow paralyzed man to speak via brain signals
A man who is severely paralyzed was able to communicate successfully using cutting-edge technology that translates signals from his brain to his vocal tract into words that are displayed on a screen. Researchers at UC San Francisco developed this technique that allows people with speech loss to Read More...
mRNA vaccines show real promise as targeted cancer therapy
We’re all familiar with mRNA vaccines for their lifesaving efficacy as Covid-19 vaccines, but at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, the vaccines are playing a different role. Rather than working as a preventative measure, they’re being used as a therapeutic measure for patients with Read More...
Scientists observe coral and algae phenomenon for the first time
Coral and algae have a very special relationship. Coral provides algae with shelter while algae give coral energy and its signature colors. Despite the critical nature of this relationship, scientists had never witnessed the moment in which coral cells envelop single-cell algae. That is until Read More...
How tiny solar-powered cameras solved a snail survival mystery
When the invasive carnivorous rosy wolf snail was introduced to Tahiti decades ago, it all but decimated many other populations of native snails. One species that managed to survive is the Partula hyalina snail, but researchers weren’t sure what made that species different. To unlock the Read More...
This toilet turns South Korean students’ poop into cryptocurrency
We live in a world driven by consumerism. So, it’s fitting that Cho Jae-weon, an urban and environmental engineering professor and researcher at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), has invented a toilet that turns what’s been literally consumed into green energy, Read More...
Report: Renewable energy transition would save 317,500 US lives
The US has a new set goal of boosting renewable energy production to reach 80 percent of energy needs by the end of the decade. While this is great news for the planet, it turns out it's also great news for human health. A new study conducted by researchers from Harvard University, Georgia Read More...
Student invents affordable fire extinguisher that operates by itself
While having fire-extinguishing sprinklers installed at home can be life-saving in the case of a fire, these sprinklers are quite expensive, and most of us can’t afford them. This is where a new device designed by a high school student could come in handy. Dubbed FACE (Fire Activated Canister Read More...