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Nuclear Battery That Runs 10 Years

Jenny writes "A battery with a lifespan measured in decades is in development at the University of Rochester, as scientists demonstrate a new fabrication method that in its roughest form is already 10 times more efficient than current nuclear batteries -- and has the potential to be nearly 200 times more efficient. Similar to the way solar panels work by catching photons from the sun and turning them into current, the science of betavoltaics uses silicon to capture electrons emitted from a radioactive gas, such as tritium, to form a current. As the electrons strike a special pair of layers called a 'p-n junction,' a current results. I can imagine lots of applications for this new battery including my own laptop."

8 of 689 comments (clear)

  1. betavoltaics? by lawpoop · · Score: 5, Funny

    Betavoltaics? I'll wait until this radioactive battery is more... stable.

    --
    Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
    -- Pablo Picasso
  2. Re:Great... by Axe · · Score: 5, Funny
    As one my russian friend, who worked in Chernobyl (as a researcher) remembered, that was the favorite rhyme in there, that can be translated.. "If you want to be a father, wrap your balls in lead foil..."

    All I can say: ouch.

    --
    <^>_<(ô ô)>_<^>
  3. Re:Great... by WormholeFiend · · Score: 5, Funny

    dude, tritium is not like in the Spiderman 2 movie... its radiation cant even penetrate a sheet of paper.

  4. Re:Great... by DrStrange66 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now the Energizer bunny will be replaced with the Radiation bunny!

    It keeps glowing and glowing...

  5. Re:next time by tomcode · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, you'd keep the battery and buy a new laptop for it every few years.

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    f u cn rd ths u cn gt a gd jb n cmptr prgmng
  6. Re:Great... by xkenny13 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unlike nucelar reactors which function via nuclear fission, these batteries function by capturing the rays from radioactive materials and converting them into energy.

    Ummmm ... didn't Chekov do this in Star Trek IV!?

  7. Re:Great... by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least it will also kill off the crabs..

    --
    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  8. Re:Great... by Trigun · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think that you'd have to wrap more than just your testicles, otherwise Chernobyl fall off!