Stanford Silicon Nanowires

By using silicon nanowires as the anode, in rechargeable lithium ion batteries, instead of graphite the amount of lithium the anode can hold is extended tenfold and thus the battery’s life.

Needless to say, a tenfold increase in battery life is great news far beyond laptops. This is great for travellers who want to use their computers on long flights, whether to do work, watch personal videos or play those games they’re so addicted to.

And the developers of the product are equally as excited. "It's not a small improvement," said Doug Cui, one of the creator's of the Stanford Silicon Nanowires. "It's a revolutionary development." It'll be interested to see whether these become dominant in the marketplace. Considering the importance of the Internet to students, businessmen, and entertainers, I wouldn't be surprised if it did.