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.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Scientists connect brains of three people
Neuroscientists have successfully hooked up a three-way brain connection to allow three people to share their thoughts and play a computer game. The team thinks the experiment could be scaled up to connect whole networks of people. "Our results raise the possibility of future brain-to-brain Read More...
Your next car will be self-driving—if you buy a car at all
Autonomous cars are not a theoretical, maybe-if proposition that depends on a lot of different pegs falling into place. They’re already driving Read More...
New, cheaper battery will boost energy storage in developing countries
Clean renewable energy requires power storage in batteries. The lithium-ion battery is the most efficient one. The technology is also expensive which limits their impact in developing countries. An innovation by a US energy company might change that. NantEnergy is developing a zinc-air battery that Read More...
This startup lets villagers create mini power grids for their neighbors
In a remote village Bangladeshi village called Shikarpur, until recently, few people had electricity. But a new system is beginning to connect the village’s handful of solar-powered homes with neighbors who can’t afford to own panels Read More...
How Dandelion is making geothermal heating affordable
Millions of US citizens still use oil and natural gas to heat their homes during the winter. Many would like to switch to geothermal, a cleaner and ultimately cheaper system that leverages the natural temperature of the Read More...
These 10 American cities are almost entirely powered by renewable energy
More than 80 cities in the US are moving in the direction of 100 percent clean energy use. Out of those 80, a small but growing handful are already sourcing 70 percent or more of their energy needs from solar, wind, geothermal and the like. Check out this showcase of the 10 American cities Read More...
Late to the party, German carmakers join race against Tesla
After years watching Tesla's electric cars speed ahead while they have been on the defensive over an industry-wide diesel emissions scandal, German high-end manufacturers have finally unveiled their first challengers to the Californian upstart. Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen's Audi Read More...
An algorithm is helping doctors decide whether to let coma patients keep living
It’s notoriously difficult to determine whether a person who has fallen into a coma will ever wake up. That’s why researchers in Beijing are developing a tool that uses an algorithm to find out what the future state will be of someone in a coma. Thus far, the researchers say the algorithm has Read More...
Researchers are restoring marine habitats using 3D printing coral reefs
Marine researchers are installing 3D-printed coral reefs to help restore habitats that are damaged as more coral reefs die. 3D printing artificial reef structures may sound like a gimmick, but research suggests it can help provide shelter to crustaceans, sponges, and anemones to form a marine Read More...
Fuel from thin air: the catch to a startup's sunny claims
Over the past few years, a number of scientists have made the seemingly outrageous claim that they could make fuel from thin air. The most recent announcement comes from Cornell University startup Dimensional Read More...