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.
Google is creating the world’s largest earthquake detector
Google is on a mission to create the world’s largest earthquake detector. To do this, the tech giant is using the same accelerometer that rotates your screen. Beginning with Android 5.0's launch on August 11, phones running the OS will start becoming part of Google's Lucious Fox-like Android Read More...
It could be possible to stop locust swarms using their own scent
A single locust is just bigger than a paper clip. But when these solitary critters attract others into a growing swarm, billions of locusts wind up flying together, forming a moving carpet that can block out the sun and strip the landscape of plants and crops. Giant swarms like this have Read More...
6 simple ways you can help save the United States Postal Service (USPS)
The US Postal Services are in trouble. It's currently running out of government funding and there are concerns that the agency will collapse completely if the government doesn’t approve a substantial aid package to help the USPS weather the COVID-19 storm. And while the post office will always Read More...
Water treatment plant uses expired beer to produce green energy
As restaurants and bars in Australia were forced to close due to the pandemic, millions of liters of unsold beer went stale. But instead of going to waste, some inventories of expired beer are being turned into renewable energy to power a water treatment plant in the state of South Australia. In Read More...
This bacteria-sampling pill could replace invasive colonoscopies
While a colonoscopy is an important tool for detecting abnormalities in the large intestine (colon), these exams are no joy for patients. If you aren't familiar with what happens in a colonoscopy, it basically involves a long tube with a tiny video camera at the tip that is inserted into the rectum Read More...
Why we need to eliminate natural gas from cities now
After a massive gas explosion destroyed homes in Baltimore, the city announced plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make repairs on the city’s aging natural gas infrastructure. But perhaps making repairs is the wrong plan entirely. Instead, the city could use this as an opportunity Read More...
New technique allows scientists to track space junk in orbit
Millions of pieces of space junk — everything from decommissioned satellites to broken pieces of rockets — are zipping around in Earth's orbit right now. This debris is moving nearly 10 times faster than a bullet, and a collision with a piece as small as one centimeter could cause major Read More...
Scientists have turned the humble brick into a battery
This may sound crazy, but scientists have actually managed to turn the humble brick into a battery that can store electricity. Now you might be asking yourself: how is this possible? Well, the new technology exploits the porous nature of fired red bricks by filling the pores with tiny nanofibers Read More...
In the future, your EV’s electricity could pay for parking
Imagine rolling into a parking space and paying for it not with money, but with a bit of the electricity from your EV's battery. If Nissan has its way, this could be the case in the near future. Autoblog notes that the automaker has opened an exhibition space in Yokohama, the Pavilion, Read More...
Bogotá pedals towards a bike-centered transportation future
Bogotá is one of the most congested cities in the world with commuters losing an average of 191 hours a year sitting in traffic, but avid cyclist Mayor Claudia López is hoping to turn the transportation tide in the city by expanding bicycle transportation. As we discussed at the beginning of Read More...