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.
Millions of used electric car batteries will help store energy for the grid. Maybe.
Once or twice a year, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) founder Michael Liebreich posts a magisterial summation of some trend or set of trends in the energy world. His latest report is about electric vehicles. It’s worth reading the whole thing, but it was an aside about discarded EV Read More...
New solar powered device revives hydrogen economy dream
Despite a plethora of naysayers, research is progressing apace on deploying hydrogen as a sustainable fuel that also doubles as an energy storage opportunity. The latest development illustrates just how quickly that pace is accelerating. A research team based at Switzerland’s Ecole Read More...
Wave power is going to revolutionize renewable energy
There's enough wave energy in the oceans to power the world, and scientists are finally close to harnessing it. For decades wave energy has lagged behind wind energy and solar because harnessing it is more complex. However, the potential is huge: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, waves Read More...
Forget self-driving cars. Let’s make self-driving living rooms
The imminent arrival of the self-driving car will change how people move around city streets, but they could do so much more. The Tridika is a conceptual driverless electric vehicle I created to change how we use cars in our ever-growing cities, where space is expensive and limited. Inspired by Read More...
Renewables now provide 43% of new electricity capacity in U.S.
The grid continues to get cleaner and cleaner. Renewable energy accounts for a large percentage of new electricity generation capacity quarter after quarter in the United States, while old coal power plants close down quarter after quarter. However, due to the massive size of the electricity Read More...
The big potential of used electric car batteries
Almost a third of electric car batteries are expected be reused by 2025, providing important applications for the power grid and buildings, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The report estimates that there will be 29 gigawatt hours of used batteries created by electric Read More...
An effective and low-cost solution for storing solar energy
Solar energy can be stored by converting it into hydrogen. But current methods are too expensive and don't last long. Using commercially available solar cells and none of the usual rare metals, researchers have now designed a device that outperforms in stability, efficiency and cost. Share: FULL Read More...
The hydrogen economy is much nearer than we think
Hydrogen produced from renewable energy is already finding a market as a 'green' fuel for cars. But its future potential goes way beyond that, as a vital storage mechanism for surplus wind / solar electricity on the grid, to provide power on demand. Photo: University of Nottingham via Flickr (CC Read More...
The future of solar power in 7 promising charts
Global growth of solar power and curbing climate change go hand in hand. If growth slows down, climate change will further its grip on the earth. Luckily, the expansion of solar power is going remarkably well thanks to plummeting costs of electricity. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Read More...
Fleet of self-driving taxis hits the roads of Singapore
Self-driving vehicles aren’t quite ready for full-scale rollout just yet, but in one part of Singapore, autonomous taxis will be giving people rides around town for free. The company behind this trial is nuTonomy, which has been testing its technology in Singapore without passengers for some time Read More...