Modern gadgetry (you know, as opposed to "ancient gadgetry," such as the abacus and the hour glass) lives and dies by its batteries, so it's no surprise that lots of time and effort is spent researching both wacky alternatives to the tried and true power cell, as well as ways to make existing cells better. Among the latter, Nikkei is reporting that Eamex in Osaka, Japan, has developed a lithium-ion battery that will last some twenty years of regular use -- that's 10,000 charges! The secret to the long-lasting lithium-ion? In current designs, the tin that's used for the battery's negative electrode weakens through continual charging and recharging. The new design, however, calls for tin-coated resin that stabilizes the electrode and prevents deterioration. Why didn't we think of that? Look forward to seeing these exciting, new batteries debut in electric scooters sometime this year. [Warning: Source link requires subscription]