It's yet to be invented but it's hard to imagine a more revolutionary advance in energy storage than a battery that never loses its charge.

The possibility came into vogue in 2019, with Canadian scientists proposing a shift away from lithium-ion cells, which rely on chemical reactions, to those energised using quantum mechanics.

The concept involves harnessing the power of "excitonic energy" or the state in which an electron absorbs sufficiently charged photons of light.

The problem, of course, is that it was - and continues to be - just an idea. Albeit it's one that aspires to power up phones and laptops almost without leaking charge, to allow electric cars to go further and even to help launch space missions.

It's also hoped the technology would be pollution-free and able to be charged in a fraction of the time thought possible.

However the reality of rapidly powerloading a quantum battery is now a step closer thanks to researchers at the University of Adelaide who've managed to successfully prove the associated theory of superabsorption.

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