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.
Making roads using solar panels may not be such a good idea after all
Placing solar panels beneath roads has become a popular idea over the last few years, with countries like China, France, and the US all developing so-called solar roads. But is it actually as good of an idea it sounds? The results say the costs of installing solar roads outweigh the Read More...
Flying cars may work best when tethered to power lines
Flying cars always work perfectly in the movies. But now that we’re close to actually building some, we’re finding they come with all sorts of Read More...
The view from an asteroid 280 million kilometers from Earth is incredible
It sounds like something out of a sci-fi film, but the space agency of Japan successfully landed two small rovers on an asteroid some 280 million kilometers away from earth. If you’re curious to see what the view is like from an asteroid, you have to check out these Read More...
New battery gobbles up carbon dioxide
A new type of battery developed by researchers at MIT could be made partly from carbon dioxide captured from power plants. Rather than attempting to convert carbon dioxide into specialized chemicals using metal catalysts, which is currently highly challenging, this battery could continuously Read More...
Solar power showed off its resiliency during Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence, the wettest tropical cyclone on record, left a trail of destruction within the Carolinas. This is obviously terrible news, but there is one positive we can take from this: most rooftop solar panel systems stayed intact and kept producing power after the storm, signifying that Read More...
Could hydrogen power be the answer for rural schools in Africa?
Like many schools in rural South Africa, Poelano Secondary School was often without electricity. Now the school has much needed access to electricity thanks to a fuel cell that converts water into hydrogen power. As more rural schools in Africa look for sustainable ways to generate power, hydrogen Read More...
Rap artists’ new love for Teslas is a good thing for the planet
Whether you like or not, celebrities can have a major influence on what the public takes a liking to. That’s why it’s good news that famous hip-hop artists like Kanye West are buying and bringing publicity to Teslas. Hip-hop artists have long been impressed by Ferraris, Benzes, and other Read More...
Community Microgrids for Disaster Resilience: A follow-up to “True Grid”
By Kristy Jansen California is suffering through a brutal fire season, Europe has faced a nasty heatwave all summer, and Japan recently experienced its worst typhoon in 25 years. 2017 was the costliest year for natural disasters in U.S. history with losses exceeding $1 billion, at a total Read More...
The Tesla of China is entering the American market
Nio is the only premium electric vehicle in China besides Tesla, and Nio’s seven-seat SUV is actually much cheaper than the Tesla Model X. Now Nio has listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange as they prepare to become available on the market in Europe and the US. Whether Nio’s cheaper Read More...
Researchers: microgrids can supply 90 percent of a neighborhood’s energy needs
Under the Paris Agreement, the Dutch government has pledged to drop its carbon dioxide emissions by 80-95 percent by 2050. To reach such an ambitious goal without spending ridiculous amounts of money, the Netherlands is looking to make use of microgrids—decentralized energy grids that Read More...