World’s First Carbon-14 Diamond Battery Could Last Millennia, Scientists Say

It takes more than 5,000 years for the battery to reach 50 percent of its power, the researchers say.

A view of the main 51.38-carat round-cut diamond, the Dynasty, among other gems from Russian diamond miner Alrosas Dynasty polished diamonds collection in Moscow on August 3, 2017. Yuri Kadobnov/AFP via Getty Images

Scientists and engineers have developed a battery they say has the potential to power devices for thousands of years.

Developed by researchers from the University of Bristol and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the battery harnesses the decay of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope best known for being used to date organic artifacts.