Transportation
From autonomous EVs to electric planes, from hydrogen trains to biofuel transportation, check out the most recent developments on how we’re moving transportation towards a more sustainable future in the good news section below.
This startup uses a plant-derived material to make roads carbon negative
Similar to building new roads, repairing existing ones is not an environmentally friendly endeavor. One of the main problems is bitumen, a fossil fuel-derived binder that holds asphalt together. A startup in Norway is recycling old roads using a plant-based binder instead, a process that could Read More...
Refueling on Mars: making biofuel from astronaut wastewater
As space exploration develops further, scientists and engineers are innovating more outlandish ways for humans to survive beyond our planet. What was once magic becomes science as experts think outside the box and brilliantly repurpose resources in closed environments, such as growing lettuce in Read More...
Quantum charging could cut EV charging from hours to minutes
Current owners of electric vehicles can cruise along knowing that they’re not adding any CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. While they can ride guilt-free, these joy rides can still be inconvenienced by the headache of having to wait around half an hour at a high-powered public charger, or even Read More...
Tiny roundworms could diagnose lung cancer
Early detection is an essential tool for treating cancer. Any time that doctors and technicians can shave off from testing or lab work saves lives. Even better are noninvasive and inexpensive tests, which benefit both the patient and the hospital. The noble nematode You might remember nematodes Read More...
More people are buying electric bikes
High gas prices are driving some commuters away from the pump and toward alternative means of transportation. Some might consider using public transportation or even buying an electric vehicle, as this offers more than a few energy solutions. There are many that are even turning to electric Read More...
To save money and gas, driving slower helps
Many of us take the speed limits on the side of the road as, well, more of a suggestion than a hard line never to cross. Whether on the highway or in midtown, many of us feel we’re losing time or just plain bored if we’re not in the fast lane. Gas prices are rising, though, and even when we Read More...
What if you could power your home with your car?
One of the things we find reassuring about electric cars — besides the fact that they produce fewer emissions and don’t hurt our planet nearly as much — is the idea that we could charge one from our very own homes instead of having to drive to a gas station. What if it worked the other Read More...
This “Infinity Train” only needs gravity to recharge
Australian mining company Fortescue and Fortescue Future Industries are collaborating with UK-based Williams Advanced Engineering to create the Infinity Train—the world’s first battery-electric self-charging train. How does it work? A zero-carbon electric train that never needs to stop to Read More...
Congress approves $350 million for wildlife crossings
Funding was finally secured in January for the construction of a wildlife crossing over the 101-freeway in Southern California, which cuts through the Santa Monica Mountains and the habitats of many native animals. The Optimist Daily has been closely following stories of wildlife crossings like Read More...
This highway was made from recycled diapers
Recycling plastic to create a new purpose for it is nothing new. Here at The Optimist Daily, we’ve previously shared how innovators have reused this material to create blocks for building, a sleek chair, and LEGO bricks. A diaper highway For the first time, the plastic in diapers is being Read More...