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.
Renewable energy outpaces coal with record breaking streak
When renewable energy began to gain popularity, critics doubted whether solar, wind, and hydropower could even begin to cover the world’s energy needs. Now, we are seeing renewables hit their stride as they beat coal as the United States’ leading source of power for a record-breaking 40 days in Read More...
How a llama in Belgium brought us one step closer to neutralizing COVID-19
While llamas are proving to be a funny addition to your Zoom call, it seems these creatures might wind up playing a bigger role in the coronavirus pandemic. According to a peer-reviewed study, llama blood might hold the key to unlocking new treatments for COVID-19. The study details how special Read More...
An app for sports fans is now helping food banks feed the hungry
If you’re going to an NFL game and want to know where to park or where to find concessions, Agustin Gonzalez’s company Paranoid Fan can find those points of interest in real-time. If you want to stay in your seat and have a hot dog delivered to you, Paranoid Fan can make that happen too. It Read More...
Lyft is offering cheaper rides to those who are willing to wait
In an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect riders and drivers alike, Lyft has paused Shared Rides in all markets. But doing so eliminates its most affordable ride option and could create a financial strain for many users. So today, Lyft is expanding a new Wait & Save pilot to Read More...
This teenager made a biodegradable “plastic” out of wasted prawn shells
What were you doing as a teenager? In Australia, a teen by the name of Angelina Arora has created a bioplastic out of discarded prawn shells, a waste product of the fishing industry. Angelina, 17, first came up with the idea to create a plastic alternative a few years ago, when she was just 13. Read More...
Venice’s iconic water limousines go hybrid for the environment
Venice has long been working toward a more sustainable balance of tourism and local life. As a city of nearly 120 small islands connected by aquatic thoroughfares, that work is inexorably tied to more efficient water transit. Among the most recent transportation modes to undergo a green upgrade are Read More...
Optimist View: A Summer of Inspiration
The Optimist Daily has experienced record growth this summer and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has read, shared, and been inspired by our solution-based, reader-funded journalism. We wanted to take a moment to celebrate and re-share some of our most powerful stories from the summer so Read More...
How renewables took over the grid during the pandemic
If there has been a winner to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, it would be the solar industry. The reduction in driving, flying, and industrial activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to smog-free skies, which is proving a boon for solar energy generation. Pollution blocks solar Read More...
This VR system lets you physically feel objects in the virtual world
Virtual reality systems (VR) today typically manipulate just two senses — sight and sound — to make users feel like they've been transported to a new environment. But now, researchers have created a cheap, lightweight device that provides realistic haptic feedback, meaning it could allow you Read More...
Researchers imagine system where EVs charge each other on the roads
If airplanes can refuel each other mid-air, then why not electric cars? A weird and wonderful, if probably impractical, idea out of the University of Florida would see vehicles in high-speed convoys sharing energy in a peer-to-peer model. To understand how it works, let’s first read a passage Read More...