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.
Researches train AI system to sniff out cancer
We’ve shared before about how dogs can be trained to sniff out certain cancers, but now, researchers have discovered a way to use AI and machine learning to detect cancers in much the same way. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania are using AI to decipher the mixture of volatile Read More...
Circular rugs: Scientists develop innovative process to recycle carpets
Though they may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of trash, carpets make up over 4 billion pounds of waste in American landfills — that’s 3.5 percent of all landfill waste in the entire country. Whether they end up in landfills or burned at the end of their life, carpets Read More...
NASA to launch 128 baby bobtail squid into space
Over 100 baby squid along with 5,000 microscopic animals are about to set off on the journey of a lifetime. To help scientists at NASA further their understanding of the effects of spaceflight, these tiny animals were launched towards the International Space Station last Thursday aboard Space X’s Read More...
This futuristic autonomous street sweeper is incredibly energy-efficient
City streets around the world may soon witness a new cleaning vehicle that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. Called the Trombia Free, the Finnish vehicle is the world’s first electric and autonomous street sweeper. The sweeper consumes less than 15 percent of the energy required by Read More...
Major supermarket chain makes first zero-emissions food delivery in the US
Supermarkets across the US typically use gas-guzzling semi-trucks to stock their grocery supplies. Last week, however, when a heavy truck pulled into an Albertson’s supermarket in Irving, California, there was no diesel exhaust coming out of its tailpipe. The zero-emissions food delivery was Read More...
Scientists attempt to take charge of the weather by electrifying clouds
The United Arab Emirates is finally ready to test out a new method of triggering rain in water-scarce regions that involves jolting clouds with electricity. The plan is to catapult small autopiloted aircraft into the sky that will then get close enough to send an electric charge through the Read More...
NASA schedules first missions to Venus since 1990
We’ve been closely following NASA’s recent excursions to Mars, but the space agency announced this week that it’s getting even more ambitious with its exploration and will be launching two missions to Venus between 2028 and 2030. The last US probe to visit the planet was the Magellan Read More...
This futuristic bus shelter is designed to improve air quality in cities
Air pollution is one of the most pressing public health challenges facing urban areas today, so designing infrastructure that tackles this problem is key to ensuring a sustainable future for our cities. We’ve previously seen such innovations in the form of air-purifying advertising banners, and Read More...
Networks of recycled waste heat to help keep UK homes warm
The heating of homes in the UK accounts for almost a third of the country’s total carbon emissions. This means that finding greener ways to heat homes is key to achieving the government’s goal of bringing emissions down to net-zero by 2050. In an effort to reach that ambitious target, UK Read More...
These ultra-low-cost batteries use CO2 to store renewable energy
While the price for lithium-ion batteries has dropped significantly in recent years, the technology is still a tad too expensive to be the best solution for the long-term storage of renewable energy, most of which is weather-dependent. As such, innovators are looking beyond lithium-based batteries Read More...