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.
How many solar panels are needed to power the entire USA? Elon Musk knows
At the National Governors Association meeting this past weekend, Elon Musk reminded more than thirty governors how much real-estate is needed to make sure America can run completely on solar energy. “If you wanted to power the entire United States with solar panels, it would take a fairly small Read More...
Affordable home geothermal energy systems come to upstate New York
When you think of home renewable power systems, geothermal energy probably isn’t the first source that springs to mind. But new company Dandelion, which starts after time at Google’s moonshot factory X, aims to power houses with the clean, free source “right under our feet.” Read More...
25 percent of Australian homes have switched to solar power
A quarter of all Australian households take advantage of the continent’s abundance of sun through the use of solar panels. That number is only expected to rise as the cost of solar technology continues to plummet. In other solar news out of Australia, scientists have found a way to boost panel Read More...
A blockchain-based electricity network could change the energy market
Blockchain technology has been championed as the virtually foolproof digital ledger that will allow cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin to flourish without the need for banks and governments, and promises to enable energy trading that could help lower carbon emissions. The only problem is that the Read More...
Farmers are planning to install solar panels in path of the Keystone pipeline
While the courts battle out whether or not the Keystone pipeline will be built through Nebraska, farmers and ranchers are already planning solar installations directly in the path of the proposed Keystone pipeline. The solar projects would do two things: The first is that it would provide more Read More...
Lyft to power 1 billion automated electric car rides per year by 2025
If you think the only way to drive electric is to buy electric, then think again. From ride sharing to car sharing, and short-term rentals to typical rental cars, the auto industry is making it easier for those without their own set of wheels to drive—or ride—electric. Following Trump's Read More...
'Solar trees' sprout across Florida in push to promote solar energy
Florida Power & Light is planting large devices across Florida that look like trees and harness the power of the sun to create electricity. The utility has begun installing these 24-foot-tall, solar-powered “trees” to bring attention to the use of solar energy. Boynton Beach in Read More...
Report: U.S. to surpass Paris commitments even if Trump withdraws
Basic economics, research analysts say, suggest that the U.S. will exceed its commitments in the Paris agreement regardless of whether or not President Donald Trump withdraws, as he’s stated he will. The analysts at Morgan Stanley believe that renewable energy like solar and wind power are Read More...
Tax incentives might run out on Tesla, but electric cars will be just fine
Tesla likes to argue that its customers don’t need government subsidies to buy electric vehicles. “In fact, the incentives give us a relative disadvantage,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on a May 3 investor call. “Tesla has succeeded in spite of the incentives not because of Read More...
An unfinished nuclear power plant is finally producing energy—solar energy that is
An abandoned nuclear power plant in Tennessee has been given new life as nearly 3,000 solar panels have been placed on the site. The Phipps Bend Nuclear Power Plant has scarred the landscape since it was abandoned in 1981. Now the site will provide clean energy to around 100 homes in the local Read More...