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.
Geothermal energy used to be limited to places near volcanoes. Not anymore
Geothermal power is the best of both worlds. It is flexible, like natural-gas power, providing energy whenever needed. And it’s green, like wind and solar power, producing almost no emissions. So, why isn’t everyone using geothermal energy if it’s so good? Places like Iceland and Indonesia Read More...
By 2035, Atlanta will power all its buildings with clean energy
Atlanta is known for many wonderful things, but sustainability is not one of them. In fact, the city currently gets less than 10 percent of its energy from “clean” sources while ranking fourth-worst in the country when it comes to energy affordability. For a city that gets as much sunlight as Read More...
Belgian scientists have come up with a solar panel that produces hydrogen
Heating homes and buildings with oil, propane, or natural gas costs a lot of money and pumps a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. How great would it be if there was a solar panel that would convert sunlight into clean burning zero emissions hydrogen to keep us all toasty warm at home and at Read More...
Study: policies are leading to CO2 emission decreases in 18 countries
A new study that looked at the carbon footprint of 18 countries between 2005 and 2015 found that with the right measures and policies in place, governments that turn away from fossil fuels towards renewables could achieve good progress in reducing their CO2 emissions. Researchers found that many Read More...
This coal giant is switching to climate-friendly assets—despite Trump
Glencore was one of the coal mining giants that were set to benefit greatly from President Trump’s generous laws favoring coal. But instead of grabbing the opportunity with both hands and pushing coal energy forward, Glencore has put a cap on its coal production and announced it will switch its Read More...
Energy storage through big batteries may be closer than you think
You might only think about energy storage when your laptop or cellphone is running out of juice, but utilities can plug bigger versions into the electric grid. And thanks to rapidly declining lithium-ion battery prices, using energy storage to stretch electricity generation capacity is becoming Read More...
California becomes one third renewable two years before the deadline
Being America’s most populous state and the world’s fifth largest economy makes it all the more impressive that California sits amongst the forerunners in the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. A new report issued by the California Energy Commission shows that the Golden Read More...
Scientists are using gene-editing to make stem cell transplants safer
A common problem that can occur during stem cell transplant procedures is that the recipient’s immune system may attack and thus reject the new cells by recognizing them as ‘foreign’. A solution may be on the horizon as scientists at the University of California San Francisco have recently Read More...
Flow batteries could solve range anxiety in the EV industry
While electric cars can take some strain off the environment, their limited charging infrastructure and range limitations are something of an Achilles’ heel in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. The good news is that help may be on the horizon. Scientists are working to develop liquid, or Read More...
These firefly-inspired LEDs are nearly twice as efficient as conventional ones
Imagery from outer space makes it abundantly clear just how many light bulbs are shining in the world every night. If we want to spare the environment and reduce the amount of power these lighting systems consume (while lowering energy costs), creating more efficient light bulbs is a must. Read More...