Potato Battery Could Provide Inexpensive Power For Developing World (VIDEO)

WATCH: Can Potatoes Help Power The Developing World?

This isn't just some kid's science project -- a group of Israeli researchers has found a simple and new twist on the age-old potato battery in this clip from Reuters. By boiling the potato before inserting zinc and copper electrodes into it, the researchers discovered that they were able to generate 10 times as much electricity as a regular potato battery.

Using the technique, a single potato can generate energy equal to about half of an AA battery, but at a cost 5 to 50 times cheaper. Because potatoes are so inexpensive and widely available, the potential impact of the discovery on developing nations could be tremendous.

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