In 2019, at the age of 97, Goodenough made history by becoming the oldest person ever to receive a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pivotal role in developing the lithium-ion battery,

 

The technological landscape of the 21st century owes a profound debt to John B. Goodenough, a visionary scientist whose work redefined how the world stores and uses energy. In 2019, at the age of 97, Goodenough made history by becoming the oldest person ever to receive a Nobel Prize. He was honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pivotal role in developing the lithium-ion battery, a breakthrough that began in 1980 while he was a professor at the University of Oxford. By identifying lithium cobalt oxide as a superior cathode material, he doubled the capacity of earlier batteries, creating a stable and powerful source of rechargeable energy.

This invention triggered a global revolution in portable electronics, serving as the essential heart of modern smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Beyond consumer gadgets, his work has been fundamental in the transition toward a sustainable future, providing the energy density required to make electric vehicles and large-scale renewable energy storage a practical reality. Throughout his long career, which continued well into his late 90s at the University of Texas at Austin, Goodenough remained a humble figure, driven by scientific curiosity rather than financial gain. He passed away in June 2023 at the age of 100, leaving behind a transformed world that remains powered by his ingenuity.

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