Nuclear Batteries: From Medical Implants to Modern Applications in Long-Term Energy Storage
By
purpleko
The kind of bagel that ruins lesser bagels for you.
Summary
The article explores the history and future of nuclear batteries, starting with the first nuclear-powered pacemakers implanted in the 1970s that used plutonium-238 isotopes to provide decades of maintenance-free operation. It discusses how these radioactive batteries were eventually phased out due to safety concerns but are now experiencing a resurgence for applications in drones, sensors, remote devices, and medical implants. The content examines both the historical context and current developments in extreme long-term energy storage solutions using radioactive isotopes.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledIn 1970, surgeons in Paris implanted the first nuclear-powered pacemaker, and over the next five years, at least 1,400 additional people received the devices
Encased in titanium, the batteries for these devices contained a radioactive isotope—typically about a tenth of a gram of plutonium-238—and could operate for decades without maintenance
The invention provided relief to a population of people who previously needed surgery every few years to change out their pacemaker’s chemical battery
Nuclear batteries that last decades are being developed to power drones, sensors, remote devices and medical implants
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