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.
Report: UK can move from coal to clean without gas
The British government has pledged to switch all air-polluting coal-fired power plants by 2025. To do so, the government plans to build new large gas plants. However, a new report by the World Wide Fund for Nature shows that the UK can move straight from coal to clean, renewable energy and skip Read More...
How much space would it take to solar-power the United States?
How much space would it take to put the whole of the United States on solar power. Well, it depends a lot on the region where you install those solar panels. Las Vegas gets almost twice as much solar energy as some other places, with 26.8 kilowatt-hours per day in a five-kilowatt system, compared Read More...
Smart windows could combine solar panels and TVs too
Imagine standing in front of a wall of windows, surveying the view. You hear someone enter the room behind you. You turn. "Welcome," you say. "Here is the video I wanted to show you." At the press of a button, the view vanishes and the windows transform into a high-definition TV Read More...
How excess wind and solar power can be used to produce hydrogen
The British National Grid has warned that at times this coming summer there will be more electricity being generated than needed; when demand is low, solar output is high and some inflexible power stations are hard to turn off. The answer could be to use the excess power to generate hydrogen. Read More...
Coal power is getting the cold shoulder in India as renewable prices plummet
Coal-based power plants fall out of favor with power distribution companies in India as the price of wind and solar power continues to plummet to record lows. Whereas wind and solar power tariffs are priced at around Rs 2.4 per unit, coal-based power is currently being sold at Rs 3.7 per unit. With Read More...
Scientists just created a new “super wood” that’s stronger than steel
Spider silk has long held the record for being the strongest biomaterial on Earth — but that just changed. Scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology used wood nanofibers to create a new biomaterial that is even stronger than spider silk. Researchers “densified” wood to turn an Read More...
One in five Americans say their next car will be an electric one
A recent survey conducted has found that one in five Americans say they will likely buy an electric car the next time they purchase a new vehicle. If one in five Americans actually followed through and bought an electric car, that would represent an enormous jump in sales in a market where electric Read More...
Uber and NASA are teaming up to make flying taxis a reality
If Uber wants its flying taxi service to become a reality, it’s smart to deepen its relationship with a government agency that routinely handles logistics for ground-to-air traffic. That’s why Uber has signed not one, but two agreements with NASA to stimulate the growth of its flying taxi Read More...
How Texas plans to win the public over with its unique self-driving experiment
There’s been a predictable backlash against self-driving vehicles after a pedestrian was run down by a autonomous vehicle. The incident even led Arizona to suspend its testing program for self-driving cars. Will self-driving cars ever be able to win over the public? The state of Texas is showing Read More...
Never have a flat tire again with these 3D-printed bicycle tires
Cyclists know there’s nothing more frustrating than getting a flat tire. That’s why a Berlin-based company has created 3D-printed bike tires that don’t require any air. The airless tires are made out of a new thermoplastic elastomer that introduces flexibility and durability to 3D-printing Read More...