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.
A private car? That is so a century ago…
Cars are convenient. They have been at the pinnacle of the mobility revolution of the past decades. And, yet, they are also extremely inefficient and wasteful. In Europe, the average car is parked 92 percent of the time—often on valuable land in cities that could very well be used for other Read More...
Tesla solar roof owner explains costs and savings (video)
In this video, one of the first owners of a Tesla Solar Roof talks about his very positive Read More...
A ‘flow battery’ powers a home when there’s no sun or wind
The quickly growing solar and wind energy capacity requires vast and cheap battery storage. Regular lithium-ion batteries cannot be scaled enough to provide the necessary capacity. Researchers are working on “flow batteries” that can soak up enough excess wind and solar power to fuel whole Read More...
Steep decline in price of solar energy offsets Trump tariffs
The tariffs of the Trump administration are not stopping the advance of solar energy. A steep global decline in the price of solar panels in recent weeks is nearly offsetting the effect of the Trump administration's 30 percent tariff on imported panels, says the CEO of SunPower, a U.S. solar energy Read More...
The world's largest solar farm opens in the Egyptian desert next year
Lack of sun has never been the problem for Egypt. However, the country gets more than 90 percent of its electricity from oil and natural gas. But that’s going to change. Next year, Egypt will open the world’s largest solar park. It’s a major step in a government strategy that by 2025 Egypt Read More...
These windows block the sun and produce power at the same time
There are windows in buildings and card that shut out light to lower heating and cooling costs. There are also windows that feature a coating of see-through solar cells that produce electricity. But, so far, there are no windows that do both. But Chinese scientists have now developed a new material Read More...
Battery innovation: your coffee waste can power your phone
The lithium-ion batteries that power your phone, your laptop as well as electric vehicles, use natural and artificial graphite. Graphite—a kind of carbon—is not cheap. That’s why researchers in Taiwan were searching for a replacement substance. They started experimenting with another source Read More...
The story of the battery that can change everything for renewable energy
Bill Joy is a legendary computer scientist—a co-founder of Sun, a co-inventor of Java, and a visionary who was working on the Internet of Things two decades ago. Today, he’s the driving force behind a new battery technology that could revolutionize the renewable energy economy. The new battery Read More...
The Hoover Dam 2.0: a $3 billion plan to turn the dam into a giant battery
In the 1930s, the Hoover Dam transformed the American West through powering millions of homes and businesses. Now, the dam may get a second life as a giant battery to store excess solar and wind energy. The plan is to equip the dam with a $3 billion pipeline and a pump station powered by solar and Read More...
Three brain science–backed techniques that help you learn faster
Through research, we are understanding better and better how we learn. Some of these discoveries help to make learning more efficient and more fun. Here are three very helpful tips to master the art of Read More...