Some of these come from incremental advances that experiment with alternative materials, for example, while some come from re-imagining the whole device and the way they work from the ground up. 2021 produced a stellar crop of discoveries that resulted from researchers thinking outside the box in this way. Let's take a look at the most creative and interesting examples.

One of the ways scientists hope to improve the charging rates of batteries is by using porous structures for the anode, one of its two electrodes. This offers a greater contact area with the liquid electrolyte that transports lithium ions and enables them to diffuse more easily through the material, potentially making for batteries that charge much, much faster.