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.
These engineers are making bricks out of your poop
The waste from your own body that you flush down the toilet goes through an extensive journey long after you’ve left the bathroom. From the toilet it descends through a series of pipes before it winds up at a waste water treatment center where it’s extracted from the water and decontaminated, Read More...
How the lamprey could lead to better treatments for spinal cord injuries
Time to get scientific: At the University of Chicago, researchers have been taking a close look at the eel-like lamprey, which can fully regenerate its spinal cord even after being severed—within three months the lamprey is swimming, burrowing, and flipping around again as if nothing happened. Read More...
Scientists discover flying squirrels that glow pink in the dark
Imagine you were out in your backyard when suddenly, a hot-pink squirrel flew by. That’s exactly what happened to a biologist in Wisconsin when he flashed his flashlight at a southern flying squirrel, a small, furry creature. Typically it has a warm brown color, but in the beam of a flashlight, Read More...
More Africans have access to electricity than ever thanks to solar energy
Africa’s great size, along with a number of different factors, has made it an extremely difficult task to create electrical grids that consistently deliver power. This has led more and more people to rely on less-clean energy sources such as kerosene or diesel fuel. The good thing is Africa has Read More...
Scientists edge one step closer to a potential cure for type 1 diabetes
Successful treatments for type 1 diabetes are scarce. Pancreas transplants are one method for curing the disease, but they frequently fail and still require drugs that suppress your immune system. However, a new, better treatment may be on the horizon after a team of scientists out of UCSF managed Read More...
Pakistan to exempt renewables manufacturers from taxes
Considering that renewables account for only 5 to 6 percent of Pakistan’s electricity generation, the country’s government has proposed to exempt solar and wind manufacturers from taxes. The initiative is expected to boost production by encouraging greater local manufacturing of equipment Read More...
Researchers are finally understanding how LSD works
Decades after it was discovered, scientists might have finally figured out how LSD interacts with our body. As part of the study, a research team administered the psychedelic drug to 25 volunteers while scanning their brains. An intriguing finding was that the LSD allowed more information to flow Read More...
Could additional nuclear power force fossil fuels out? The answer should be NO.
While sustainable means of generating electricity like wind and solar are gaining momentum, at the moment, some continue to suggest that nuclear energy could be the best way to dissolve our reliance on dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and gas. Nuclear power doesn’t rely heavily on fossil Read More...
Scientists created a device that uses Wi-Fi signals in the air to harness energy
Scientists at MIT have invented a remarkable device which can turn ambient Wi-Fi signals into electricity. The breakthrough paves the way for energy-harvesting covers ranging from tablecloths to giant wrappers for buildings that extract energy from the environment to power sensors and other Read More...
Researchers invent air-conditioners that can also generate electricity
Scientists at Stanford University have managed to engineer an air-conditioner which generates power at the same time. Air conditioners and climate change interact in a vicious cycle: as the planet warms, demand for air conditioning increases, thereby driving emissions ever higher. The new device Read More...