In 1989, tinkering with materials he hoped would amplify electrical signals, Cambridge University physics professor Richard Friend and his graduate students were testing large organic molecules to see whether they were good insulators.

FORBES: Seeing the Light

Boeing did some of the safety testing on the 787 battery system, but much of the testing was done by a subcontractor, Thales of France, which made the 787's electrical system, and by battery maker GS Yuasa of Japan, according to a previously released NTSB report.

NPR: NTSB Probes Safety Testing Of Boeing 787 Batteries