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.
Switching to 100% renewable energy by 2050 will save $1.1 trillion annually, Greenpeace says
Technically, it's possible to achieve 100% renewable energy around the world by 2050. It's economically viable, too. The Energy [R]evolution report, presented today by Greenpeace, provides a pathway for the energy transition by phasing out coal, oil, gas and nuclear within one generation. Read More...
New neuroscience report supports Buddhist belief that self is constantly changing
Neuroscientists are discovering what Buddhists have believed for ages: our self is not constant, but ever-changing. A new paper, published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences this month, links the Buddhist belief to physical areas of the brain. There’s scientific evidence that "self-processing in Read More...
Neuroscience backs up the Buddhist belief that “the self” isn’t constant, but ever-changing
While you may not remember life as a toddler, you most likely believe that your selfhood then—your essential being—was intrinsically the same as it is today. Buddhists, though, suggest that this is just an illusion—a philosophy that’s increasingly supported by scientific research. Read More...
Blankets convert solar energy to hydrogen fuel
Imagine if the pool in your backyard could become an energy harvester, with a floating blanket on its surface converting solar energy to hydrogen fuel. This is a long-term goal of an interdisciplinary research team led by Pelagia Gouma, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Read More...
More and more cities are replacing fossil fuels with renewables
In recent years, nations have been promising to cut back on fossil fuel use. Cities are doing so, too. And as cities consume around 78% of global energy, that's a good thing for reducing the world's carbon footprint. Latin America leads with the highest number of renewably-powered cities. Brazil Read More...
Australian homes among first to get Tesla's Powerwall solar-energy battery
Company says 7kWH energy storage unit, which uses lithium-ion battery to store energy from rooftop solar panels, will be available by end of year Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to get Tesla’s vaunted Powerwall battery storage system, as several other companies Read More...
Japan wants to make the 2020 Olympics hydrogen powered
Recharge Wrap-up: Lyft partners with Didi Kuaidi, Cadillac uses ultracapacitorsWatch Video Exotic cars caught on video racing on neighborhood streets in Beverly HillsWatch Video Motorcycles and cars star in strangest drift battle everWatch Video And the first Bentley Bentayga goes to... Queen Read More...
Uber: 'we'll ease the transition to self-driving cars'
Uber has claimed that its “optimistic leadership” would help ease the transition for city authorities as they deal with the introduction of self-driving cars. Speaking at a conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Kalanick said self-driving cars could reduce the 30,000 annual deaths on Read More...
Ford launches smartwatch apps for its electric and plug-in hybrid cars
A number of automakers have shown smartwatch apps in the past year — some have even launched them — and now Ford is joining the party with Apple Watch and Android Wear apps of its own. The update for MyFord Mobile on Android and iOS adds the watch extensions, which feature remote Read More...
Why storing solar energy and using it at night is closer than you think
In May, when Tesla Motors announced its new battery product to vast media buzz, the talk was all about people putting batteries in their solar-powered homes, and thereby becoming that much less reliant on the grid. But there was always another and perhaps even bigger side of the story Read More...