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Every few years there's a proposal for a new nuclear battery. This was the last one: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/190555-this-nuclear-battery-could-powe
by drzaiusapelord 10y ago
Every few years there's a proposal for a new nuclear battery. This was the last one:
https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/190555-this-nuclear-battery-could-power-your-smartphone-forever-as-long-as-you-dont-value-your-life-or-sperm-count-too-highly https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/190555-this-nuclear-batt...
The problem is none of these approaches solve the disposal problem or the dirty bomb problem. You can buy 1,000 of these and build a dangerous device that would require serious clean-up and, obviously, can hurt a lot of people.
So, this will never be in a smartphone or laptop, but perhaps power industrial items that can't be practically charged often like remote robots or sensors. Or applications in space to replace aging, expensive, and heavy RTG's.
- Declanomous 10y agoIt doesn't even have to be a dirty bomb. You just need someone who is overly curious and then you've got a Radioactive Boy Scout situation.
- nathan_f77 10y ago> You can buy 1,000 of these and build a dangerous device that would require serious clean-up and, obviously, can hurt a lot of people. Or you can buy $1,000 worth of lithium batteries and try to build a breeder reactor in your back yard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn Oh no, I didn't know he passed away only a few months ago. And that's very sad to read about the rest of his life.
- drzaiusapelord 10y agoThe lithuim is just used to purify the thorium he illegally acquired. I don't think your comparison really works here.