Power for 5,700 years without recharging

 Goodbye to chargers forever, Carbon-14 diamond battery designed to run for 5,700 years

Born from nuclear science and forged in diamond, this breakthrough could reshape space missions, medical devices and everyday tech, pushing the limits of what energy storage can mean. Imagine a battery that you never have to recharge, we are not talking about a power bank or a battery which does not need to be charged for days, but something capable of producing electricity for the next 5,700 years. Although, it is an exaggeration, but scientists are creating a diamond battery with carbon-14 which could be the solution for all requiring charging most of the times on their phones. Scientists are developing a new type of nuclear diamond battery capable of generating power continuously for thousands of years, without ever needing to be recharged. The technology, described by researchers at the University of Bristol in early studies and now pursued by start-ups such as NDB Inc., embeds radioactive carbon inside a synthetic diamond, creating what they describe as a long-lived and inherently safe power source.

The idea seems very simple as a concept (and a dream for a few), although it is something huge if we stop to think, taking advantage of nuclear waste, encapsulating it in synthetic diamond (generated in a laboratory) and turning it into a safe, stable and practically eternal source of energy. At the heart of the innovation lies carbon-14, a radioactive isotope produced in graphite blocks from nuclear reactors. With a half-life of around 5,730 years, carbon-14 releases a steady trickle of energy as it decays. By encasing it within a lab-grown diamond, researchers discovered they could not only convert this energy into electricity but also use the diamond itself as a protective shield to prevent harmful radiation from escaping. We know it sounds very pure science. But this element with half-life of 5,730 years and releases energy constantly, possibility is there. By putting it inside a synthetic diamond, it acts as a shield and, at the same time, as a converter of that radiation into electricity. Professor Tom Scott, one of the pioneers of the project, explains that these batteries have no moving parts, do not emit gases, do not need maintenance and also allow the reuse of nuclear waste that otherwise would be a problem.

Dr. Tom Scott said that the diamond battery could serve as a safe way to repurpose nuclear waste. While the power output of each cell is tiny, the near-eternal lifespan makes it uniquely suited for low-energy devices which cannot be easily recharged or replaced. Where something like this makes the most sense is in space exploration. Conventional solar panels struggle in shadowed regions or beyond the reach of the Sun’s rays, while radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), used in missions like Voyager and Curiosity, rely on scarce and tightly regulated plutonium-238. A diamond battery, light and stable, could keep spacecraft instruments running for centuries, offering a potential solution for missions to the outer planets or even interstellar probes. NASA has already signalled interest in alternative long-duration power supplies, as outlined in its radioisotope power systems strategy. Experts say that if scalable, the diamond battery could drastically cut reliance on traditional RTGs, though its relatively low power density remains a major limitation. With a diamond battery, an instrument could run for centuries without shutting down, it could open the door to probes that travel farther than ever or to much longer interplanetary missions. It is no coincidence that NASA itself is paying attention to this discovery because it fits with its strategy of diversifying energy sources in future missions.

But we should not only look at what happens above, here on Earth it could also have very interesting applications. The idea of a battery that never needs charging sparks obvious interest for consumer electronics and medical devices. A pacemaker powered by such a battery, for example, could operate for decades without replacement surgery. It would also work for sensors in remote or dangerous places, able to operate indefinitely without depending on maintenance. Or even to keep a hospital powered (as a generator) in places where there are no resources or where natural disasters happen continuously. Start-up NDB Inc., based in California, has claimed in press briefings that its prototypes could eventually deliver higher power outputs, potentially extending the concept to mobile devices like smartphones or laptops. But independent testing and peer-reviewed data remain limited, and many experts caution against overhyping commercial timelines. In the future it could even power phones or laptops, we like that more! 

But experts call for caution because more tests and scientific reviews are still needed to confirm how realistic those promises are. Not everything is that simple. Manufacturing synthetic diamonds on a large scale is still expensive, and the use of radioactive material is subject to very strict regulations. Added to this is a perception problem which is convincing people that carrying a “nuclear battery” in their pocket is safe, with everything we know about what happens with nuclear materials. Scientists assure that the radiation it emits is lower than that of the human body itself, so we are talking about something safe, but that does not take away from the fact that the term scares anyone.

The potential is enormous, but no one expects this technology to become popular this very month. The most optimistic estimates talk about at least a decade before seeing these batteries in real use and useful to us. While the science appears sound, significant challenges remain. even if safely contained, carries regulatory hurdles. If it manages to overcome the technical challenges and gain users’ trust, this diamond battery could become a solution which would mark our century: transforming waste into clean and practically eternal energy! The promise of a 5,000-year battery continues to draw attention from researchers, governments, and industry leaders alike. As Professor Scott noted in his early findings, published through the University of Bristol, the key lies in demonstrating safety and reliability: “The amount of radiation escaping from a diamond battery is less than that emitted by the human body.”