For Nobel pursuits

In the season of Nobel Prize being awarded to dedicated researchers for their notable works, the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for work that led to smartphone batteries is one to resonate with the purpose of higher education that encourages quality research and development. John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries and this is a very stark example of the value of scientific research for its very aim and purpose. Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised the world of technology as these batteries power everyday products such as smartphones, laptops and even electric vehicles. "Through their work, this year's Chemistry Laureates have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society," the Nobel Foundation said while announcing this year's winners. The work of the Chemistry trio led to the development of "a lightweight, hardwearing battery that could be charged hundreds of times before its performance deteriorated." Lithium-ion batteries are not based on chemical reactions that break down the electrodes, but upon lithium ions flowing back and forth between the anode and cathode. Since 1991, lithium-ion batteries have not only revolutionised common human lives, but have also contributed significantly to sustainability without any compromise on the technical advancement, thereby setting an example that technology can very well be the gateway to sustainable development. The Nobel prize is awarded for discoveries and accomplishments that pave the way for greater development, the fruits of which will be available to all alike. What this essentially implies is that research, in common parlance, is validated by the effectiveness of its application. The very obvious takeaway, but also something that must be reiterated, is that a culture of research in any scientific study in any domain whatsoever is irreplaceable. Encouraging and promoting quality research in institutions of higher learning is thus invaluable. What begins in a lab has the potential to turnaround the way modern people function.