Scientists have announced the development of a lithium-ion battery technology which could extend charge capacity to beyond 20 hours. The secret? Silicon "nano wires" which are able to absorb a large amount of lithium ions without pulverizing. While there is no word on when such devices might see the inside of a laptop, the processes are "well understood" and the inventors are already shopping their patents around to venture capitalists and existing battery manufacturers.

Update: According to (what I presume to be) informed comments on Slashdot, if this technology pans out it could result in electric cars than run more than 1000 miles on a single charge. In other words, this could well be the invention which cuts us loose from foreign oil dependency, turning the Islamofacists into the sand fleas they most richly deserve to be, and hastening one Mr. Chavez's appointment to "hang out" at the village square.

If it pans out, of course.