Now, researchers at the University of Cambridge have turned to biology – to cells that line the human intestine – for inspiration in designing next-generation batteries. It's a big step forward for lithium-sulphur batteries, but it'll likely still be years before the tech becomes commercially available.
 

Lithium-sulphur battery technology has a lot of potential – it could provide as much as five times the energy density of lithium-ion solutions used today. But batteries made using the materials tend to be short-lived, with active material being lost during the repeated charge-discharge cycle. A Cambridge team believes it's now solved the issue, by adding a thin layer of material to the setup.

But taking a step back – what makes lithium-sulphur battery tech so appealing in the first place?