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 England's bet on heat pumps: a $450 million push toward cleaner, cheaper home heating
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM New England is no stranger to frigid winters, but five of its states are now working together on a major effort to keep homes warm with cleaner, more efficient technology. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island have jointly Read More...
How Spain’s community solar revolution is helping families power up and costs go down
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM What started as a modest plan to give Taradell residents space to grow their own vegetables has blossomed into one of Spain’s most promising clean‑energy success stories. The small Catalan town, known for its strong culture of community action, soon saw Read More...
AI brings faster, life-saving TB screenings to communities with limited healthcare access
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Tuberculosis, the world’s deadliest infectious disease, still claims more than 1.2 million lives every year. Yet in clinics like Boniaba Community Health Center in Mali, the process of diagnosing TB looks very different than it did just a few years ago. Read More...
Scotland lays out new road map to reach net zero by 2045
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Scotland took its next step toward reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, releasing a sweeping draft climate action plan that outlines how the country intends to reduce emissions across transportation, energy, agriculture, and land use over the Read More...
New uses for everyday spaces: South Korea turns parking lots into solar power hubs
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Parking lots might not seem like climate solutions, but South Korea is proving they can be. Starting this month, any parking lot in the country with more than 80 spaces will be required to install solar canopies or carports. The new requirement applies not Read More...
Keeping dignity at the center: how to support your loved one's sense of self through dementia
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Dementia is something that touches more and more families every year. Globally, someone develops dementia every three seconds. In the U.S. alone, more than 6 million people live with some form of the condition, and that number is expected to double by 2060. Read More...
No, Tylenol use does not cause autism or ADHD large scientific review finds
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Lately, headlines and social media threads have warned pregnant people to avoid acetaminophen (often known by the brand name Tylenol), implying that using it could increase the risk of autism or ADHD in children. These claims have stirred confusion, worry, Read More...
Outsmart your brain: 3 thinking traps (and practical fixes) from a Yale psychologist
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The mind loves shortcuts. They help us move fast. Sometimes a little too fast. That’s the core idea in Yale psychologist Woo-kyoung Ahn’s book Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better, which unpacks the “cognitive biases” that nudge us toward Read More...
Extinction rates are slowing—and conservation efforts may be paying off
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For years, headlines have warned that Earth is entering a sixth mass extinction. But new research suggests that this dire picture may be more nuanced, and even somewhat hopeful. A study by Kristen Saban and John Wiens of the University of Arizona's Read More...
Peanut allergies drop in kids thanks to new early feeding guidelines
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A profound change in pediatric nutrition is paying off: newly released research confirms that introducing peanut products to babies as young as four months is not only safe, it’s effective in preventing potentially life-threatening peanut Read More...