Lithium: An element that keeps us charged

When people think of important elements, they normally think of oxygen or carbon. 

However, lithium is important for many everyday items and allowed three scientists to win the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. 

These men — John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Wittingham, and Akira Yoshino — created a battery that is rechargeable and gets its energy from natural resources such as sunlight and wind. 

Because electrons move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode, batteries store electrical energy and make a current that can power anything from a car to a flashlight. These are used for electric cars like Teslas. 

In addition to forming an important kind of battery, Lithium helps maintain a smooth texture in lotion and is used to help people with bipolar disorder.