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.
Driving home the good news about electric cars with Richard Branson
Sir Richard Branson – showman, self-publicist and master of the media – could hardly have come up with a more symbolic setting if he tried. Last weekend, his electric car racing team sped through New York City, clocking speeds of 150mph (240kmph) in cars built with technology Read More...
‘Renewable energy will be the cheapest form of power in every country by 2020’
The plummeting cost of renewable energy means even if Donald Trump pulls the US out of the Paris climate change accord, America will still meet its commitments in the agreement, a new report has said. Analysts at investment company Morgan Stanley say prices for clean Read More...
Utilities are giving people cash for clean cars
Utilities have begun offering direct rebates for electric vehicles in an effort to jump-start sluggish sales in an emerging car market that stands to benefit them financially. Electric companies in Vermont and California have offered customers $450 to $1,200 off their electric bill if they buy a Read More...
Here’s how coal-reliant communities should transition away from fossil fuels
As much as we applaud news of coal-fired power stations being shut down, the truth is that these closures can dramatically affect the communities that relied on these stations economically. Tonawanda, New York is no different. The working class Buffalo suburb lost its largest air and water Read More...
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...