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.
BP sees demand for oil slowing with electric car revolution
The electric car revolution that California’s utilities are preparing for will transform the oil industry. History is full of examples that industry leaders are ill-prepared to deal with such shocks and present-day oil companies are no exception. Downplaying the impact of the electric car is Read More...
California utilities plan $1 billion expansion of electric car charging stations
Three of California’s largest utilities plan to add thousands of new charging stations for electric cars in the state. The utilities are ready to invest $1 billion in the project. The costs will be passed on to ratepayers and still need to be approved by the California Public Utilities Read More...
Scotland sets 50 percent renewable energy target
Half of Scotland's heat, transport and electricity energy needs will be met by renewables by 2030 under plans published by the Scottish government. The draft Scottish Energy Strategy sets out a vision for the transition away from oil and gas dependency and towards a low-carbon economy by 2050. Only Read More...
No, new coal is not feasible: on price, reliability or emissions
Are we going to renew Australia’s coal-fired electricity generators? It doesn’t seem likely. Here’s why. Australians want three things from their electricity system: costs they can afford, supply they can rely on, and environmental sustainability. It’s easy to trade off one Read More...
Renewables now cheapest, but how to enable faster renewable energy growth
Renewable energy is now the cheapest option, on average, for new electricity capacity around the world — in developed countries like the U.S. as well as developing countries like India, China, Nigeria, and Mexico. As I noted the other day, we need to keep channeling this message to the broader Read More...
Tesla quietly introduces longest-range electric car on the market
Without much fanfare, Tesla has added a new battery option to its menu. The Model S 100D, currently listed at a base price of $92,500, offers an EPA-rated range of 335 miles on a full charge, making it, according to Autoblog, the longest-range consumer electric vehicle in the world. The range is 20 Read More...
This village is solving the problem of too much sun with batteries
This village in the U.K. is the unlikely testing ground for a new technology to store and use local power for longer, bypassing the grid and cutting energy bills. This month dozens of homes in Oxspring will have a home battery installed to see if they can make solar power more valuable to Read More...
Here's where the 10 federal self-driving test sites in the U.S. are
The U.S. Department of Transportation picked 10 official sites for developing and testing self-driving car technology, one of the last actions the agency made under the leadership of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. The DOT made the announcement Thursday, Foxx's last day as Read More...
Here’s something Democrats and Republicans agree on: Solar energy
Today most Democrats and Republicans find themselves further apart than ever. But here’s a happy thought: Regardless their political affiliation Americans agree on the need for renewable solar energy in the same way. The rooftops of 1.5 million Americans in the top-20 solar states were analyzed Read More...
Artificial intelligence is growing so fast, even Google's co-founder is surprised
Alphabet Inc. has been one of the world's biggest spenders on artificial intelligence. The advancements have even surprised company co-founder Sergey Brin. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Brin said that when he was in charge of Alphabet's research group he didn't pay much attention Read More...