Water
Ships that release alkalinizing agents might just save the Great Barrier Reef
We at The Optimist Daily are always interested in new and innovative ideas to help save our oceans. The ever-increasing quantity of carbon dioxide emissions present in the atmosphere is making our oceans warmer and more acidic which in turn degrades coral reefs and threatens marine Read More...
Study: Electricity-eating bacteria could help fight climate change
From spreading crushed rocks in forests and farmlands to constructing green buildings with materials that suck carbon up out of the atmosphere, scientists are hard at work developing innovative solutions that reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. More recently, a team of scientists from Washington Read More...
These beautiful underwater sculptures serve to support marine life
Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has recently erected an underwater ecomuseum near Saint-Marguerite Island, off the coast of Cannes in France. The exhibit displays six mask-like sculptures made of PH neutral materials and features textured surfaces to encourage marine life to return to the area. Read More...
Update: Holland's fish doorbell is a worldwide hit!
A couple of months ago, we wrote about a remarkable online “fish doorbell” or visdeurbel that allows spawning fish to swim through the canals of Utrecht in the Netherlands unobstructed by the Weerdsluis lock. The system is comprised of an internet-connected underwater camera located next to Read More...
Scientists develop innovative process that extracts lithium out of seawater
While most electronics, including autonomous vehicles, power themselves with batteries made of lithium, the growing demand for this element is expected to exhaust our planet’s land-based reserves by 2080. Future shortages could cause battery prices to skyrocket and hinder the growth of electric Read More...
Scientists attempt to take charge of the weather by electrifying clouds
The United Arab Emirates is finally ready to test out a new method of triggering rain in water-scarce regions that involves jolting clouds with electricity. The plan is to catapult small autopiloted aircraft into the sky that will then get close enough to send an electric charge through the Read More...
This map lets you trace the path of any waterway across the US
River Runner, a new map developed by data analyst Sam Learner, lets you trace the origins of water throughout the entire United States. Users can click on any location or enter any address and the map will show them where the water in that area is likely to flow to. If, for instance, you click Read More...
These "flying" electric boats could save Venice from being engulfed by water
The romantic Italian city of Venice is slowly but surely sinking into the sea. While rising sea levels are partly to blame for this, there is a less commonly-known contributor to this issue called “moto ondoso,” also known as wake pollution. Wake pollution is caused by speeding motorboats Read More...
‘Micro-tree’ harvester purifies water and extracts it out of thin air
Water scarcity is one of the most challenging problems humanity faces. Water is floating in the air all around us and in our oceans, but despite having so much water on Earth, only a tiny fraction of it is actually drinkable — while the rest of it is either too salty, contaminated, or difficult Read More...
Denver will be home to North America’s largest sewer heat-recovery project
Did you know that the hot water you send down the drain can be used to regulate the temperature of buildings? Called sewer heat recovery, the process essentially captures warm water from showers, washing machines, and dishwashing and stores it in a heat-consistent pit. This stored water is then Read More...