
UCI Researchers Accidentally Make Batteries Last 400 Times Longer - Imagenuity
http://www.popsci.com/researchers-accidentally-make-batteries-last-400-times-longer
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privong
The title is a bit ambiguous ("Batteries last 400 Times Longer") and could be
interpreted that the battery can store 400x more energy. It would be more
precise to say that the discovery was for batteries that can last through 400x
more discharge/recharge cycles.

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sideshowb
Yes, though either way it's good. If you can manage 400x more discharge cycles
for little extra cost that could REALLY bring the cost of electric cars down,
though the article doesn't say whether this design can in principle manage the
power requirements of a car..?

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SeanDav
There is a part of me that loves these stories about serendipitous
discoveries. Of course the trick is to recognize what you have found and to
use that information.

Some technology/inventions discovered by accident: penicillin, x-rays, post-it
notes, pacemakers, ink-jet printers, saccharin, microwave ovens, potato
chips/crisps and of course Coca Cola.

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razakel
>There is a part of me that loves these stories about serendipitous
discoveries.

The discovery of LSD is a fascinating example of this.

Hofmann experienced some sort of altered state of consciousness after first
synthesising it. The interesting thing is that it lasted about two hours,
which means he could not possibly have accidentally ingested some.

He then reports he has a "peculiar presentiment" that there's something
special about it, so decides to deliberately take a dose. The rest is history.

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sideshowb
Promising! As ever the proof is when they make a working prototype to
demonstrate this in an everyday battery, as stories like this abound. Fingers
crossed.

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shanehoban
E should like this

