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China targets Namibia’s oil, uranium and lithium in fresh strategic partnership
China and Namibia have signed agreements covering energy, critical minerals and infrastructure as Beijing strengthens ties with one of Africa’s fastest-growing resource economies
Science Pub: Investigating the Lithium Rush
Lithium has been described as “white gold,” the next oil, or a kind of savior from climate change. Consumers are
Why lithium battery and radar pioneers won China’s top science award
Chen Liquan and Ben De recognised for advances in solid-state energy storage and military aviation defence.
New Lithium-Plasma Engine Passes Key Mars Propulsion Test
You’re on the fourth human mission to Mars, and you’re told the Odyssey spacecraft designed to take you there will be the smoothest ride you’ll ever take. It features a newly christened electric propulsion engine which was in the late stages of testing during the first three missions. The mission starts and the spacecraft travels at a crawl, and you wonder if it’s broken. A week goes by and you’re now traveling at more than 400,000 kilometers (250,000 miles) per hour, and your mind is blown as to how fast you’re going, how quickly that happened, and that this mission might be more awesome than you thought.
Scientists develop a way to restore aging EV batteries without breaking them down into raw materials
The work focuses on a common problem in aging lithium-ion batteries: buildup on the electrodes. As batteries are charged and discharged, a layer known as the solid...
Chronotherapy considerations in lithium treatment for bipolar disorder
Nature Mental Health - In this Perspective, Ray and colleagues review 50 years of studies on the effectiveness and toxicity of lithium and argue that its effects depend on dosing time. They propose...
Distinguished Binghamton Professor and Nobel laureate elected AAAS Fellow
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry M. Stanley Whittingham elected for his decades of lithium-ion battery research
New Tech Resurrects End-Of-Life Lithium Batteries Back To 95% Capacity
Scientists have developed a way of refurbishing lithium batteries by removing accumulated deposits on electrodes, returning them to 95% capacity.
NASA's Lithium-Fed Nuclear Thruster Flares to Life in First of Its Kind Test
The next-generation thruster could one day propel humans to Mars.
Scientists turn seawater into fresh water without harmful brine
Scientists have developed a solar-powered desalination system that turns seawater into fresh water while removing nearly all of the leftover salt as a solid instead of producing harmful brine. The self-cleaning technology could also recover valuable minerals such as lithium, potentially turning desalination waste into a useful resource.
Breakthrough could lead to ‘big leaps’ in battery performance, scientists say
Researchers studied lithium-ion batteries, which are used for electric vehicles as well as portable electronics such as mobile phones and laptops.
Salt: A Vital Compound for Science and Society
From salt basins in the Persian Gulf to lithium reserves in Chile, evaporite minerals accumulate in sedimentary basins under tectonic and climatic processes of significance to scientists worldwide.
Researchers to develop microsensor for potentially dangerous gas emissions
Professor Mohammad Younis to lead National Science Foundation project that could detect problems with lithium-ion batteries.
New solar desalination breakthrough makes fresh water without toxic brine
Scientists have developed a solar desalination system that turns seawater into drinking water without creating environmentally damaging brine. Special laser-textured metal panels use sunlight to evaporate water while automatically moving salt deposits away from the working surface, preventing clogging. The process was successfully tested with water from three oceans and can recover nearly all salts as solids. Those leftover materials could even become a source of valuable lithium for batteries.
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
Big Ideas Lab podcast takes on the science of scale-up
Rechargeable lithium batteries trace back to 1972, but they wouldn't reach consumer products until 1991. Solar photovoltaic cells existed in the 1950s, long before solar panels appeared on rooftops. And the MRI was demonstrated in the 1970s, years before the machines became hospital staples. In each case, the core scientific principles had been proven. The difficult part was scaling them into technologies people could reliably use. The average disruptive technology takes roughly 35 years to cross that divide. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists are trying to compress
QuantumScape Reports Fourth Quarter 2025 Business and Financial Results
QuantumScape Corporation (NASDAQ: QS), a global leader in next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology, today announced its business and fina...
Green Science Alliance Developed Stable Rechargeable Aqueous Aluminum Ion Battery with Conductive Carbon Rubber Sheet as Cathode Current Collector
/PRNewswire/ -- In modern society, rechargeable batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), have become the most practical option for energy storage...
New sodium ion battery stores twice the energy and desalinates seawater
A surprising breakthrough could help sodium-ion batteries rival lithium—and even turn seawater into drinking water. Scientists discovered that keeping water inside a key battery material, instead of removing it as traditionally done, dramatically boosts performance. The “wet” version stores nearly twice as much charge, charges faster, and remains stable for hundreds of cycles, placing it among the top-performing sodium battery materials ever reported.
NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars
A novel electromagnetic thruster passed an initial test in a specialized chamber at JPL. With further development, these thrusters could support human missions to the Red Planet.
‘Spectral lines’ and a giant plume: what science saw when the SpaceX rocket hit the moon
Sodium and lithium gas was detected in a plume thought to span tens of kilometres, created when part of a SpaceX rocket crashed into the lunar surface
Ecobat Completes Sale of Lithium Recycling Business
/PRNewswire/ -- Ecobat, a global leader in battery recycling and resource recovery, today announced the closing of the sale of its lithium recycling business....
Scientists Unveil Cheaper and Faster Way To Extract Lithium From Massive Untouched Reserves
A new solvent-based technique could change how lithium is extracted from brines, potentially making the process faster, cheaper, and viable in places where conventional methods fail. Few elements are as key to the clean energy transition as lithium, and global demand for it is soaring. The metal
Understanding the physics at the anode of sodium-ion batteries
Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) are gaining traction as a next-generation technology to complement the widely used lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). NIBs offer clear advantages versus LIBs in terms of sustainability ...
Chinese sodium battery surprised scientists by matching key Tesla benchmarks
Researchers found that a Chinese sodium-ion battery performs far better than expected, with production quality and design features comparable to Tesla’s batteries. If engineers can improve cold-weather charging and energy density, sodium could become a cheaper and more abundant alternative to lithium for EVs and large-scale energy storage.
Southwest Airlines limits passengers to 1 portable charger per person over fire concerns
Southwest Airlines rolls out stricter portable charger rules, limiting passengers to one device per person amid rising lithium battery fire concerns.
Fool’s gold isn’t so foolish: Scientists find hidden treasure in pyrite
Researchers have discovered lithium hidden in pyrite within ancient shale rocks—an unexpected find that could reshape how we source this critical battery material. It raises the possibility of extracting lithium from existing waste, reducing the need for new mining.
Scientists just found a faster, cleaner way to extract lithium for EV batteries
A breakthrough lithium-extraction method could help solve one of clean energy’s dirtiest problems. Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a fast new technique that pulls lithium directly from salty underground brines using a temperature-sensitive solvent, avoiding the giant evaporation ponds that can take years and drain precious water supplies. Even better, the method works on low-quality lithium sources that current technologies struggle to use.
Scientists Just Used Some of Earth’s Worst Chemicals to Produce Battery-Grade Lithium
A new method transforms a "persistent environmental liability" into a much-desired resource, the researchers say.
KAIST identifies cause of artifacts in battery nanoscale analysis, paving the way for more reliable measurements
- A research team led by Professors Seungbum Hong and Jong Min Yuk from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Nam-Soon Choi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has identified the cause of a measurement artifact in nanoscale battery analysis that can make surface topography appear to represent ion movement. - The team has developed a method to reduce these artificial signals by smoothing rough battery-material surfaces, potentially improving the accuracy of analyses for next-generation batteries, including conventional lithium-ion batteries and emerging technologies such as sodium-ion and solid-state batteries.
A fluorinated imine additive helps graphite anodes endure 1,000 cycles
A newly developed electrolyte additive could help lithium-ion batteries keep graphite anodes stable over prolonged cycling. Researchers synthesized pentafluorophenyl thiophene imine (FPTI), which forms a protective, LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase on graphite. At 4 mg/mL, FPTI enabled 95.6% capacity retention after 1,000 cycles in graphite/Li half-cells and improved lithium-ion transport. NMC811/graphite full cells using FPTI-conditioned anodes reached an energy density of approximately 233 Wh/kg, highlighting its potential for longer-lasting battery systems.
UCSB scientists bottle the sun with liquid battery
A new bio-inspired molecule captures solar energy and releases it as heat on demand, outperforming lithium-ion batteries.
AI discovers the hidden signal of liquid-like ion flow in solid-state batteries
Solid-state batteries could be safer and more energy-dense than today’s lithium-ion technology, but finding materials that allow ions to move quickly through solid electrolytes has been difficult. Researchers developed a machine learning pipeline that predicts Raman spectra and identifies a distinctive low-frequency signal linked to liquid-like ion motion inside crystals. This signal appears when rapid ion movement temporarily disrupts a crystal’s symmetry. The approach could dramatically speed up the discovery of superionic materials for advanced batteries.
I tested a solid-state portable battery for a week - now lithium-ion feels old school
This wireless power bank uses solid-state batteries instead of lithium-ion, and you'll like the reasons why.
Activists detained at Oregon State Capitol protesting lithium mine
Activists from Portland, Eugene and southern Oregon were urging Gov. Tina Kotek to step in and stop a controversial lithium mining project.
PRESIDENT PAZ: Bolivia has rejected socialism and is open for business
Bolivia's leader outlines a shift from socialism to "capitalism for everyone," seeking United States investment in lithium, copper, and natural gas.
Bob on Business: Fort Worth startup marks lithium mining milestone in Permian Basin
Also, a cool new headquarters; Crescent refinances; and pour one out for the Panther.
San Mateo County may require permit for businesses using humanoid robots
San Mateo County is considering a plan surrounding the use of humanoid robots to help firefighters put out fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
NASA fires up powerful lithium-fed thruster for trips to Mars
A technology that could propel crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently put to the test at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. On Feb. ...
Lithium stakeholders announce $1.5 billion deal
Smackover Lithium, a partnership between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor ASA announced Monday (Aug. 31) the signing of its second commercial offtake agreement for the South West Arkansas Project (SWA...
Why does lithium work against bipolar disorder?
Lithium remains the gold standard for one of the most complex psychiatric conditions. Scientists are still getting to grips with why.
Chinese scientists create battery that works comfortably way above boiling point
The tiny ceramic-based lithium-ion battery can withstand heat and still operate at up to 150 degrees Celsius, making it a safer power source.
Lithium mining: a dilemma with no exit?
The quest for clean energy metals like lithium is giving rise to a bitter irony, as Stephen Williams discovers in this important book.
Lithium Plume in Our Atmosphere Traced Back to Returning SpaceX Rocket
This could quickly get out of hand.
Lithium stakeholders announce $1.5 billion deal
Smackover Lithium, a partnership between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor ASA announced Monday (Aug. 31) the signing of its second commercial offtake agreement for the South West Arkansas Project (SWA...
Ancient chemistry trick unlocks new type of glass that traps CO2 and hydrogen
Researchers have discovered how to fine-tune a futuristic type of porous glass that can trap gases like CO2 and hydrogen. Inspired by centuries-old glassmaking techniques, the team added sodium and lithium compounds to make the material easier to process and shape. The breakthrough could accelerate the development of high-performance materials for clean energy, gas storage, and advanced manufacturing.
New calcium-ion battery design delivers high performance without lithium
Scientists at HKUST have unveiled a major leap forward in calcium-ion battery technology, potentially opening the door to safer, more sustainable energy storage for everything from renewable power grids to electric vehicles. By designing a novel quasi-solid-state electrolyte made from redox-active covalent organic frameworks, the team solved long-standing issues that have held calcium batteries back—namely poor ion transport and limited stability.
New study changes what scientists know about lithium and bipolar disorder
Lithium is one of the most effective drugs for bipolar disorder. However, its narrow therapeutic window means the difference between an effective dose and a toxic one is small.
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
These AA batteries charge over USB-C and genuinely impressed me.
[Media: https://www.tiktok.com/@verge/video/7587156343392374030] What if you could charge double-As with the same cord as your phone? That’s a thing, and these 1.5V lithium-ion Zepath batteries are surprisingly good! Don’t throw away your Eneloops yet, as NiMH is likely safer and can last longer in low-current applications. But these last way longer in my modded GBA.