Scientists identify key bottlenecks slowing sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a promising alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. While lithium-ion technology powers everything from smartphones to electric cars, lithium is relatively...

New compact device turns sunlight and waste heat into clean hydrogen at 28% efficiency

Hydrogen is often described as a fuel of the future because when it is used, it produces only water instead of harmful emissions. But making...

Edison’s lost battery idea gets a high-tech comeback for the renewable energy age

At the start of the 20th century, electric cars were more common on American roads than gasoline vehicles. In 1900, many drivers relied on lead-acid...

Why liquid metal could be the key to affordable green hydrogen

Scientists have developed a new way to produce clean hydrogen using sunlight and liquid metal, offering a promising path toward greener energy made directly...

This computer uses light instead of electricity—and it solves problems faster than quantum machines

Researchers at Queen's University have built a new kind of computer that uses light instead of electricity—and it works at room temperature, stays stable...

A new organic molecule could store renewable energy for months with almost no loss

One of the biggest challenges facing renewable energy is timing. Wind turbines and solar panels often produce electricity when it is not immediately needed. A...

Batteries made from “rust” could be cleaner, cheaper, and surprisingly powerful

Lithium-ion batteries power everything from smartphones to electric cars, but they rely on materials that raise environmental and ethical concerns. Metals like nickel and cobalt...

A one-atom-thick filter may revolutionize natural gas purification

growing role. Both fuels are mainly made of methane, which burns more cleanly than coal or oil and is widely used for heating, electricity generation...

Electric eels inspire a new kind of soft, powerful battery

From medical implants to soft robots, many emerging technologies need power sources that are flexible, safe, and able to work inside or near living...

MIT scientists turn waste heat into computing power with 99% accuracy

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have demonstrated a surprising new way to compute—by using heat instead of electricity. In a proof-of-concept study published in...