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.
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...
Producing energy from your balcony may soon be possible thanks to new invention
Although cities are typically windy places, we currently have no means of harvesting that resource now. That’s why a duo of university students have created an mini-wind turbine that allows people in dense urban areas to generate energy from their apartment balconies. The innovative turbine has a Read More...
Fossil fuel demand to peak a decade earlier than expected
A new report warns that global demand for fossil fuels will peak a decade earlier than predicted. Whereas the demand for oil and gas were expected to reach their height in the mid-2030s, it now seems as if that time will come much earlier. That’s good news for the environment as renewables look Read More...
New plan calls for all buses in LA to be electric within a decade
According to a new plan in development by the City of Los Angeles, 45 percent of all private cars and trucks must be electric in 10 years. To help power those vehicles, the city plans to install as many as 130,000 new public chargers. On top of that, the entire bus fleet of the city will be 80 to Read More...
New wireless charging systems represent a bright future for electric cars
Electric plugs aren’t the only way to charge electric cars. In fact, young engineers have come up with wireless charging panels that can provide power to an electric car parked above it. Even if there are nearly six inches of empty space between the charger and the car, power can be transmitted Read More...
The Sahara could see more rain with the installation of wind and solar farms
Placing vast amounts of solar and wind farms in the Sahara Desert in Africa would do more than just generate clean energy. According to a major new study, installing large-scale wind and solar farms in the Sahara could cause more local rainfall. Such rainfall could then lead to an increase of Read More...
How China’s solar surge could shape energy policies across the globe
China has more solar energy capacity than any other country in the world, at a gargantuan 130 gigawatts. If it were all generating electricity at once, it could power the whole of the UK several times over. And while China’s investment into solar farms may seem like a domestic affair, it’s Read More...
California is about to commit to 100 percent clean energy
The fifth-largest economy in the world, California, is on the verge of committing to 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2045. All that’s needed to make 100 percent clean energy the law is a signature from Governor Jerry Brown, who’s expected to sign the bill. Not only is it one of the most Read More...
Home battery-storage systems are solving Germany’s excess energy problems
With more than a million homes in Germany having solar panels on their roofs, Germany can produce more renewable energy than it can use at times. Now Germany is turning to home battery-storage systems that are connected to the grid as a solution to the problem of excess electricity. These systems Read More...
Scientists explored an untouched mountaintop rainforest thanks to Google Earth
You would expect that, by now, humans have found and explored every forest on the planet. But just this year, a team of scientists found an untouched rainforest perched atop a mountain in Mozambique using Google Earth and decided to explore it. What they found on their journey into the untouched Read More...