Why we’re buried in batteries

+ Bollywood and India’s election; looking back in time US Edition - Today's top story: Why batteries come in so many sizes and shapes [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 April 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation U.S. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Colorado is latest state to try turning off the electrical grid to prevent wildfires − a complex, technical operation pioneered in California]( - [The South’s aging water infrastructure is getting pounded by climate change – fixing it is also a struggle]( Sometimes I feel like I’m buried in batteries – yet never seem to have the type I need when I need it. There are AAs and AAAs, a seemingly infinite variety of button batteries, lithium-ion rechargeables – and that’s just for starters. Advanced batteries of varying dimensions are being used in EVs, with solar cells and more. What’s the deal with all these batteries? A colleague wondered the same thing during our daily news meeting and voila! A story was born – and, no surprise to me, it ended up being a hit with readers. Wesley Chang, a mechanical engineer at Drexel who studies batteries and electrochemistry, [explores their history](, how they work and why they come in so many shapes and sizes. Spoiler alert: There’s no end, or conformity, in sight. We’ll take on your drawer of tangled power cords in the next installment. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks [Why batteries come in so many sizes and shapes]( Wesley Chang, Drexel University The reason batteries come in so many types has as much to do with history as innovation. - [Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? 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