The 2019 Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded to three scientists who played a large role in developing lithium-ion batteries: Stanley Whittingham of the U.K., American John Goodenough (at 97, the oldest Nobel laureate ever), and Japan’s Akira Yoshino. Whittingham created the first functional lithium-ion battery in the 1970s, then Goodenough increased its capacity two-fold over the next 10 years. Finally, Yoshino removed the pure lithium, making it much safer to use.
Lithium-ion batteries are indispensable in today’s world, used in everything from cellphones to cordless power tools to electric cars. Rechargeable and able to store large amounts of energy, they have revolutionized electronics. As the Nobel Committee put it, "...this year’s chemistry laureates have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society."
With their large storage capacity, lithium-ion batteries can also help us move away from fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable energy sources. As solar panels and windmills, for example, become able to store greater amounts of energy, they become more efficient and, therefore, less costly.
It can be said that the work of Whittingham, Goodenough, and Yoshino may help save the world.
Lithium-ion batteries can be made much smaller than nickel-cadmium batteries, while storing at least twice as much energy. They make lightweight handheld electronics possible, as well as making electric cars and renewable energy sources feasible. Improvements continue to be made, and we're likely to invent something well beyond lithium-ion capacities soon. But for now, our new world runs more and more on lithium-ion batteries. // For more info on the Nobel Prize, see: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/facts/nobel-prize-facts/.