There are battery scientists w working on cobalt alternatives. Current options around batteries for electric cars don't have the range or the acceleration capabilities of a cobalt battery. The current optionality for sell phones would require the batteries to be much larger and would require the phones to be larger as a result.
Cobalt is powering the electric vehicle revolution, but much of the world’s supply is mined under deadly conditions in Congo. Journalist Nicolas Niarchos explains Congo's resource curse.
Today’s show was produced by Will Reid, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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