Lithium-ion batteries power phones, scooters and electric cars — but the increasingly common energy source can spark fires so intense that they challenge veteran firefighters. The fires burn hotter, ...

Writer and occasional reluctant perpetrator of engine swaps, James O'Neil is a malaise era enthusiast and also fascinated by the many ways the auto industry has since recovered from those dark days.

Researchers have uncovered the mechanical properties of the nanoscale "thorns" that develop inside lithium-ion batteries, which can cause them to short circuit and die – or worse, such as ...