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.
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...
Road tripping has never been so efficient as with this eco-camper
Towing a camper reduces the efficiency and range of your vehicle. That's why a motorhomes company has created a camper that has its own battery pack, electric motors, and solar panels that allows it to power itself. The idea is that by adding power to the camper, less strain will be put on the car Read More...
Why it’s OK that scientists are failing to replicate social science studies
For the past several years, social scientists have been deeply worried about the replicability of their findings. Incredibly influential, textbook findings in psychology — like the “ego depletion” theory of willpower, or the “marshmallow test” — have been bending or breaking under Read More...
Tesla’s self-driving Semi truck has been driving across the US all by itself
Without much fanfare, it was recently revealed that Tesla's autonomous Semi truck has been traveling across the US entirely by itself. By making use of the existing Supercharger network, the Semi has been able to make long-distance journeys without an escort, only stopping every once and a while to Read More...
Here’s what happens when you do brain exercises every day for a year
Brain games are supposed to help boost your cognitive skills, but have you ever taken the time to do them on a daily basis? For the past year, a science journalist did brain exercise every day for a year and tested her results with MRI machines. This is what she got out of Read More...