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.
Beyond batteries: Launch of the Rasa hydrogen fuel cell car
Electric cars are great and they are an important part of a sustainable future. Yet, their batteries are not very environmentally friendly, and they limit their range. There’s an even better power source for an electric car: The hydrogen fuel cell. Riversimple is a UK company that is launching a Read More...
Solar power in the UK produced more electricity than coal in May for the first time
Last month, for the first time solar panels generated more electricity in the UK than coal. Coal was once the mainstay of Britain’s power system but the rapid rise of solar panels has seen its use plummet, leading to a series of milestones in recent weeks. Solar surpassed coal over a whole day Read More...
Green Conservatives call for earlier UK coal power phase-out
The UK should close all its coal-fired power stations two years earlier than the government’s pledge of 2025, according to green Conservatives including former energy minister Lord Greg Barker. The move would not cause the lights to go out, would cut both carbon emissions and air pollution Read More...
New documentary showcases the promise of solar energy
What do an unemployed American worker, a Tea Party activist and a Chinese entrepreneur have in common? They’re all part of a new documentary film highlighting the growth of solar energy around the world. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Shalini Kantayya and featuring stories from the U.S. Read More...
Report: More than 1 million electric cars hit the road in 2015
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that 1.26 million electric cars hit the world's roads in 2015. This chart shows how rapidly electric cars are entering societies. However, there’s still a long way to go. Worldwide there are more than 1 billion gas- and diesel-powered cars on the Read More...
The renewable energy records of 2015 in 7 charts
The Optimist Daily has reported several times on the renewable energy records set in 2015. It was the first year that more renewable power capacity was added than other sources. It was also the first year that renewable energy investment was mostly in developing countries. Here are seven charts Read More...
Norway on track to completely ban all gas powered cars by 2025
Norway, already the world leader when it comes to electric cars on the road, is on track with its plan to ban the sale of all fossil fuel-based cars by 2015. Politicians from both sides of the political spectrum have reportedly reached agreement about 100 percent of new Norwegian cars running Read More...
Wave power project set to supply 15% of Gibraltar’s electricity needs
Wave power has been slow to take off, but it looks like things are accelerating. Last week, EU’s Gibraltar made a big buzz over the official grid connection of its new wave power project, an array of ocean energy converters from the company Eco Wave Power. Though modestly sized, it is the Read More...
India plans 10 GW renewable energy capacity through micro, mini grids
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced plans to set up 10 GW renewable energy capacity through implementation of micro and mini grids. The plan, still in a state of proposal, calls for setting up small-scale solar, wind, hydro and biomass projects. According to the proposal, mini Read More...
250-mile electric car from Hyundai planned for 2020
Hyundai is aiming to release an electric car with a 250-mile range by 2020, according to the company’s Director of Eco-Vehicle Performance Development Group Byung Ki Ahn. The plans were revealed in a recent interview that Ki Ahn gave to Autoblog, where he confirmed that the company would be Read More...