For years, scientists and engineers have been trying to find a smaller, more efficient way to power computers and mobile devices. It’s generally considered one of the more stubborn design obstacles to overcome in creating new types of devices.
That’s why the discovery of graphene in 2004 was a pretty big deal. It has all of these qualities that designers look for, like being incredibly thin, having a mind-blowing strength-to-weight ratio, and also having the ability to store energy. The trick is finding an easy way to mass produce it, which has kicked off a wave of research. Nokia, for example, was recently awarded a grant from the EU to continue its research.
Meanwhile, two scientists at UCLA have made a graphene discovery of their own that could charge an electric vehicle in a matter of minutes or a cellphone in mere seconds. As the video says, this could be a very big deal.
