🔋 A nuclear diamond battery could keep working for 5,000 years

A battery that could outlast entire civilizations? Scientists in the UK are developing a nuclear diamond battery designed to generate tiny amounts of electricity for thousands of years.

The technology uses radioactive carbon-14 encased in a synthetic diamond. As the carbon decays, it releases energy that can be converted into electricity. With a half-life of around 5,730 years, carbon-14 could provide an exceptionally long-lasting energy source.

The power output is extremely low, so forget charging your smartphone with it. Instead, these batteries could eventually power medical implants, space equipment and remote sensors in places where replacing conventional batteries is difficult or impossible.

The technology has been demonstrated, but practical applications still face engineering challenges. If those can be overcome, devices could operate for decades or centuries without needing a battery replacement.

@futurism 🧬