The next technology to power your smartphone might come from old nuclear waste.
There is no doubt that nuclear energy has done a lot for the world (with the exception of disasters like Chernobyl and bombs) but the technology has huge potential to power not just your home, but the next generation of portable devices.
That said, accidents such as Three Mile Island and the meltdown at Fukushima has led to the widespread adoption of renewable energy. That poses a problem for countries that currently have quite a few nuclear reactors, such as the United States.
As nuclear components age, they slowly degrade into waste material. That nuclear waste is incredibly hazardous, and costs a significant amount of money to store and to maintain.
However, one energy startup hopes to change all that and harness nuclear waste into a safe, portable battery.
The technology is in its research and development phase, however first tests look good. The battery has currently registered a 40 per cent charge – but considering one of these batteries at full charge can last anywhere from ten years to 28,000 years, that’s pretty good going.
The startup is called NBD Company, and executives are optimistic that they will have a working battery within the next two years.
And for a smartphone or electric vehicle that will never require a charge? That’s something worth waiting for.
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