Week In Photos: Baby Leopards, Venice's New Bridge, More

Week In Photos: Baby Leopards, Venice's New Bridge, More
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Troy, New York, August 13, 2007 What's powerful, flexible, and has a thirst for human blood?

Though it has the qualifications of a superpredator, this new paper battery unveiled Monday at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has the potential to save countless lives.

Its unique construction and lightweight design make the new battery particularly well suited for use in medical implants like pacemakers, the scientists said.

The battery consists of 90 percent cellulose, the same plant fiber that makes up paper. But the rest is mostly carbon nanotubes, tiny pipes that act as electrodes when exposed to natural electricity-conducting solutions, like those found in blood, sweat, and urine.

Scientists at the institute described it in a press statement as a possible solution to the "energy requirements of tomorrow."

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—Photograph courtesy Rensselaer/Victor Pushparaj
 

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