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.
The electric bus is coming to a city near you
The average transit bus travels about 130 miles a day. An electric bus from the company Proterra can drive 146 miles, on one electric charge. As battery prices continue to fall and state mandates to cut pollution become more pressing, many cities around the U.S are starting to replace their Read More...
Investing in off-grid renewables in the developing world: what you need to know
At the Paris climate talks last December, governments agreed to work towards limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. But the topic of financing developing countries to help them adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy became a sticking point during the Read More...
Apple becomes a green energy supplier, with itself as customer
Although much of Apple’s manufacturing is done offshore, it still has extensive needs for electric power in the United States — and not only for the sprawling new corporate campus it is building at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., and its 270 retail stores around the country. One Read More...
These "trees" can turn wind into energy
A nice cool breeze in the summer would feel even better if the trees surrounding your yard were also generating electricity for your home. We’re used to the idea of capturing sunlight for energy, but now it’s also possible to capture wind energy through “wind trees.” Developed by a French Read More...
Scientists find way to produce plastic using much less energy
As much as we would love to rid the planet of plastic, the truth is we rely on it for everything from food packaging to smartphones. Besides plastic pollution, the process of making plastic is also expensive and strenuous on the earth. Scientists claim that may all change soon with their Read More...
Tesla's Elon Musk says new car battery is a milestone
Tesla Motors has unveiled a new battery pack for the performance versions of its Model S and X cars that will extend the range and mean faster acceleration. Elon Musk, chief executive of the electric car maker, hailed the upgraded battery as a "profound milestone". He said the battery cell Read More...
Aussie scientists set solar efficiency record
Scientists from the land down under have set a world record in efficiency for a solar thermal dish generating steam used to create electricity. The Australian scientists redesigned their concentrating solar thermal system and found that 97% of sunlight was converted into steam. It’s the best Read More...
Artificial photosynthesis
Daniel Nocera, the rock-star of artificial photosynthesis, and his colleagues at Harvard published a paper in June that shows a viable route to long-term energy storage. The Science article demonstrates how surplus power from solar PV can be converted into liquid fuels. The Read More...
Global non-hydro renewable electricity up 70% from 2010–2015
A study commissioned by the Financial Times shows that the planet’s 20 largest national economies generated 8% of their electricity from renewable energy — solar, wind, and other green power sources — in 2015, up from 4.6% in 2010. (This does not include hydropower.) There are Read More...
6 ways to personally divest from fossil fuels
A couple years ago, I began to discuss the idea that the end of the internal combustion era finally was in sight, along with the overall rapid decline of a fossil fuel-driven world. I think some folks felt it was a premature pronouncement — yet in more recent days, the prediction has begun to Read More...