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 71-year-old Mexican man builds solar stoves made from reused materials
If you walk near Mexico City’s primary wholesale food market, Central Abasto de Ecatepec, you’re likely to run into 71-year-old Maximino Antonio Piedad, who’s often there demonstrating his homemade solar cooker built out of reused materials. His aim is to support people who have limited Read More...
This innovative plant proves that polystyrene isn't impossible to recycle after all
Did you know that styrene naturally occurs in foods like strawberries and cinnamon? It’s only when it’s combined with other chemicals to create packaging and foam insulation to protect fragile items in transit does it become polystyrene — that white, staticky, and virtually Read More...
Scientists discover two cat-size squirrel species living in the Himalayas
Researchers from Australia have discovered two new species of the woolly flying squirrel, one of the world’s rarest mammals, in the Himalayan mountains. Scientists have known about the woolly flying squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) for a long time, which, at five pounds and three feet long, is one Read More...
Scientists discover 5 million years of climate change records in Kazakhstan
After making the precarious descent into the Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany discovered a practically unbroken record of climate change in an 80-meter-thick layer of sediment. This ancient slab of earth and rock provides Read More...
This self-healing concrete fixes its own cracks to last longer
Concrete is responsible for around nine percent of global CO2 emissions — that’s three times more than the airline industry. Those emissions come from the material’s production and transportation, as well as repairs associated with its degradation. Though some innovators are working on Read More...
Michelin develops inflatable sails to cut the carbon footprint of shipping
While the Michelin Group is commonly known for its travel guides and tires, as well as awarding restaurants for their cooking, the company now wants to help the shipping industry slash its humongous carbon footprint. How? By designing Wing Sail Mobility (WISAMO) — an inflatable sail system that Read More...
Ships that release alkalinizing agents might just save the Great Barrier Reef
We at The Optimist Daily are always interested in new and innovative ideas to help save our oceans. The ever-increasing quantity of carbon dioxide emissions present in the atmosphere is making our oceans warmer and more acidic which in turn degrades coral reefs and threatens marine Read More...
Indonesia commits to all-electric vehicle sales by 2050
In an effort to accelerate the global transition to all-electric transportation, Indonesia has announced that it will end the sale of combustion engine motorcycles by 2040 and combustion engine cars by 2050. As the world’s fourth most populous country, this will have a big impact on global Read More...
This initiative provides refugees with refurbished bikes
Following the outbreak of war in western Sudan, Darfuri refugee Adam fled to the UK in search of a better life. Not long after his arrival in 2009, he struck up a friendship with Jem Stein, a student, and mentor, who found out that one of the biggest challenges Adam was facing at the time was Read More...
Meet Mia: The world’s first “bionic bird”
Mia is a female bearded vulture, the largest type of flying bird in Europe — but that’s not the most impressive thing about her. She is the first bird to receive a permanent prosthetic foot, and is described as the world’s first “bionic bird.” Mia was brought into the Owl and Bird Prey Read More...