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.
Pufferfish-inspired drone expands itself to prevent harmful collisions
When a pufferfish feels threatened, the marine animal makes itself larger by inflating its body like a balloon. Drawing inspiration from this undersea creature’s defense mechanism, a group of engineers has developed an innovative structure that can solve some of the safety issues related to Read More...
Australia to build a giant solar farm that will be visible from space
Australia is preparing to become home to the world’s largest solar farm, with the project expected to generate enough energy to power places as far away as Singapore. Called Sun Cable, the 10-gigawatt solar farm will occupy 120 square kilometers on a remote patch of the outback in the Read More...
Uber set to invest millions in EV charging points in London
Uber wants its drivers to switch to electric cars. To persuade drivers in London, the ride-sharing giant has pledged to invest more than £5 million ($6.5 million) in public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. “Drivers consistently tell us that having reliable, accessible charging near Read More...
The planet's least loved vehicle, The Hummer, is back as an EV
The Hummer was once the poster boy of wasteful, resource-intensive transportation. With its clunky size and low gas mileage, the Hummer had a reputation of being one of the least environmentally-friendly vehicles on the market, which is part of the reason they went out of production a decade Read More...
This white paint reflects over 95% of sunlight to cool buildings
Have you ever noticed that it can feel hotter in a city than in a rural area? Part of this is because all the dark paved surfaces in cities absorb the sun’s rays more than trees and natural spaces, making it feel warmer. A team of researchers from Purdue University is hoping to cool down cities Read More...
6 dirty power plants in New York to transition to cleaner technologies
Power plants that rely on fossil fuels are already bad enough, but what makes these polluting plants even worse is that they are disproportionately located near communities of color. In a study from the University of Washington and Stanford University, researchers found that Black, low-income Read More...
NASA collects samples from a space asteroid for the first time
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has spent nearly two years in space circling Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. Now, it has successfully helped NASA gather samples from an asteroid in space for the very first time. In a momentous milestone for space exploration, the spacecraft’s robotic arm was Read More...
Research says seawater air conditioning could cool coastal cities
There’s no better feeling than a cool dip in the ocean on a hot day, but what if this same idea could be used to cool our home and buildings? A new study from the International Institute of Applied System Analysis (IIASA) showed that seawater air conditioning (SWAC) could be a greener alternative Read More...
Study: Getting naked around strangers can improve your body image
The way you see your own body is entirely perceptional. What you see is not necessarily a correct representation of how you actually look, and oftentimes, we disparage our own bodies for things that others do not see or notice. Having a negative body image of yourself can hinder confidence, but Read More...
Deep computer model detects Lyme disease through images of rashes
Each year, there are more than 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease in the United States. Treatments for Lyme disease can be effective, but it depends on how early the disease is detected. To develop a quick, easy way to detect Lyme disease, scientists have developed deep learning models that can Read More...