MIT Building Batteries Using Viruses

thefickler writes "Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are now using viruses to build cathodes for Lithium-Ion batteries. Three years ago these same researchers found they could build an anode using viruses. Creating both the anode and cathode using viruses will make batteries easy to build. This nanoscale battery technology will allow batteries to be lightweight and to 'take the shape of their container' rather than creating containers for the batteries, which could open up new possibilities for car and electronics manufacturers."

Comments

Hope all goes well

[FlyByPC]

Now there's a whatcouldpossiblygowrong article if I ever saw one...

Re:Hope all goes well

[kkrajewski]

(Doctor pulls out voltmeter.) Hold these, please. Yep, you're infected.

Re:Hope all goes well

[julesh]

Now there's a whatcouldpossiblygowrong article if I ever saw one...

Well, yes, the people who use that tag are all reactionary luddites, and this story will appeal to them.

Please, what could go wrong with this? The virus escapes and... err... behaves almost exactly like the virus it was engineered from? Except, you know, in presence of iron phosphate (a rather rare substance) it grows in a different shape. Clearly a danger to the survival of our species, there.

It's harmless.

[mail2345]

According to the article, these virii only infect bacteria. Unless they mutate. I'm fairly certain that they have controls to prevent that kind of thing. Plus, phage based medications turned out to not to have a high chance of fatalities.

Re:It's harmless.

[mattack2]

It's also bad enough when people apparently don't use the "Preview" button first.

Re:It's harmless.

[derGoldstein]

It's bad enough when people in IT show there ignorance

"there" ignorance, huh?...

Re:It's harmless.

[syousef]

It's bad enough when people in IT show there ignorance by using the term virii when talking about computer programs.

First of all, it has already been pointed out you used the wrong word "there" instead of "their" which is just brilliant irony.

Secondly both words "virii" and "viruses" have been used widely. Quoting a single source (poorly without previewing) to single one out as the "correct" one is just silly. At the very least if you're going to point out the mistake, point to some relevant information on why "viruses" is the correct pluralisation. Here I'll do it for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plural_of_virus#Use_of_the_form_virii

Thirdly, why do you quote the rest of the definition of the word virus? I didn't realise this was some obscure and unknown word that needed to be explained.

In summary, pipe down you arrogant jackass. Correct your own mistakes before trolling over other people's.