The invisible device that powers everything you do

Fusion:

The Nobel Prize for chemistry was announced earlier this month: three scientists shared the almost $1 million award for their work on how cells repair DNA.

Once again it did not go to John Goodenough, the 93-year-old physicist regarded as the father of the lithium ion battery. You probably haven’t heard of him, but for years, pundits have predicted that Goodenough would win science’s highest honor. And for good reason. His work transformed society. His is possibly the most revolutionary invention yet not to win the prize. What’s it to you? Well, your life wouldn’t be the same without his work.

It’s hard to disagree with this characterization of the importance of the lithium ion battery. And that importance will only grow as we move forward with more and more kinds of electronics — in particular, electric cars.



4 thoughts on “The invisible device that powers everything you do”

  1. Nobel Prize is not only about importance. It is possible that the scientific value of the work of John Goodenough just isn’t …. good enough for a Nobel.

    There, I said it.

  2. Agreed. Sure would be a cruel irony if a man with a name like that had an epitaph like that. But you know? “Father of the lithium ion battery” is still a damned fine legacy.

  3. is this the same outfit that gave a nobel peace prize to the US commander-in-chief, who’s army continues to kill civilians with bombs & drones as part of his ongoing “war with terror”? niiiice.

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