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.
Innovative energy storage technologies are making solar a 24-hour energy source
The rapid growth of solar energy requires storage innovation to make sure that the clean energy is available 24/7. In Sweden, a team of scientists is developing a liquid energy storage medium that can not only release energy from the Sun on demand but is also transportable. Meanwhile, in China Read More...
Uber’s latest crash reminds us how badly we need self-driving cars
A self-driving Uber car was involved in a high-speed crash in Tempe, Arizona yesterday. No one was seriously injured, and the Volvo XC90 SUV, which was driving itself at the time, had the right of way and bears no blame, according to police. “We are continuing to look into this incident Read More...
Oil companies see clean opportunity using rigs for wind turbines
Oil companies have been exploiting oil platforms in seas and oceans for decades. Now, with the clean and renewable energy revolution gathering steam, they have an unique opportunity to use these rigs to install windmills. It may be a move that won’t exactly support their main business—selling Read More...
Behind Saudi Arabia's $2 trillion bet on a sustainable future
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, at 31 years old, is the driving force behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s radical economic experiment. If his plans succeed, he’ll also be the world’s largest impact investor. And like any impact investor, the deputy crown Read More...
Twitter is clamping down on accounts linked to terrorism
Social media are responding to the critique their platforms are being misused to spread fake news or to promote violence. In fact, Twitter has been more pro-active than other social media and the company has announced that it has suspended 636,248 accounts since the middle of Read More...
Google’s project sunroof: 80 percent of US roofs are suitable for solar panels
Google has updated its Project Sunroof to include 3-D models of every rooftop in all 50 states. The new software takes into consideration the trees on your property, how much sun or shade hits your rooftop, and figures in the prevailing weather in your area. Then it takes all that data and builds a Read More...
25 cities now committed to 100 percent renewables
Madison, Wisconsin and Abita Springs, Louisiana are transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy following respective city council votes on Tuesday. Madison and Abita Springs are the first cities in Wisconsin and Louisiana to make this commitment. They join 23 other cities across the United Read More...
DIY clean energy: Spray-on solar panels are closer to reality than you think
We may not be too far away from a world where solar panels can be rolled atop your car or sprayed onto the windows of your house thanks to something called perovskites, a range of materials that can be used to harvest light. Solar researchers love perovskites because they are not only efficient but Read More...
Germany converts coal mine into giant battery storage for surplus solar power
Germany is embarking on an innovative project to turn a hard coal mine into a giant battery that can store surplus solar and wind energy and release it when supplies are lean. The Prosper-Haniel coal mine in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia will be converted into a 200 megawatt Read More...
Tomorrow’s self-driving car market has started to look like PCs in the ’90s
Welcome to Last Week Was a Beta, our Monday look back on the big stories in tech last week. We were at SXSW in Austin, Texas, last week and thinking about the big trends in tech as soon as we reached baggage claim, because there was a guy there at a folding table promoting Ride Austin, a non-profit Read More...