Although the current batteries are "durable and reliable, " Hartline said lithium ion batteries pack more energy into a smaller space.

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U.S. stocks fell last week for the first time in five weeks on those Fed concerns, although losses were mild because of an upbeat durable goods report.

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The project undertaken by the Kerala Highway Research Institute in India, where shredded plastic waste has been mixed with bitumen to lay roads, is certainly a good example of the former, particularly as the proponents of the scheme claim the road is stronger and more durable than non-plastic roads, although that remains to be seen.

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