Photo: The First Nuclear-Powered Battery

A radioactive isotope embedded in a diamond has the potential to power devices for thousands of years.

Scientists and engineers from the University of Bristol in the U.K. have announced the successful development of the world's first nuclear-powered battery. It uses a radioactive isotope embedded in a diamond. This battery has the potential to power devices for thousands of years.

Diamond batteries can be used in medical devices such as ocular implants, hearing aids, and pacemakers—and also in extreme environments, including outer space.