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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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Scientists Create a “Rechargeable Sun Battery” That Stores Sunlight for Years

A team of scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara has developed an extraordinary new material that could change the future of renewable energy. The innovation acts like a “rechargeable solar battery” — capturing sunlight, storing it inside tiny molecules, and releasing it later as heat whenever needed, even long after sunset.

Unlike traditional solar panels that stop producing electricity at night, this new technology stores solar energy directly inside chemical bonds. Researchers believe it could provide a simpler and more sustainable way to use solar power without depending heavily on large battery systems or the electrical grid.

The discovery was published in the journal Science and represents a major step forward in a field known as Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage.

The Big Problem with Solar Energy

Solar energy is one of the cleanest power sources on Earth, but it has one major limitation: sunlight is not available all the time. Solar panels work well during sunny hours, but once the sun sets or clouds appear, energy production drops sharply.

To solve this issue, most renewable energy systems rely on lithium-ion batteries. While effective, these batteries can be expensive, bulky, and environmentally challenging to manufacture and recycle.

Scientists around the world have therefore been searching for alternative ways to store solar energy more efficiently. The research team at University of California, Santa Barbara believes they may have found one of the most promising solutions yet.

A Molecule That Behaves Like a Battery

The newly developed system uses a specially engineered organic molecule called pyrimidone. Instead of converting sunlight into electricity immediately, the molecule absorbs solar energy and stores it chemically.

Researchers describe the molecule as behaving like a compressed spring.

When sunlight hits the material, the molecule changes into a high-energy form. It then remains stable in that energized state for extremely long periods — potentially years — without losing much stored energy. Later, when triggered by heat or a catalyst, the molecule snaps back into its original shape and releases the stored energy as heat.

This process is completely reusable.

Lead researcher Han Nguyen explained the idea using a simple comparison with photochromic sunglasses — the kind that darken automatically in sunlight and become clear again indoors. The team wanted to create a similar reversible system, but instead of changing color, the material stores and releases energy repeatedly.

Because of this ability, researchers often call the technology a “rechargeable sun battery.”

Inspired by DNA

One of the most fascinating parts of the research is where the inspiration came from: DNA.

The molecular structure of pyrimidone resembles one of the natural building blocks found in DNA. Certain DNA components can reversibly change shape when exposed to ultraviolet light. Scientists realized this behavior could potentially be adapted for energy storage.

Using a synthetic version of the structure, the research team engineered a molecule capable of repeatedly capturing sunlight and storing energy safely.

To better understand why the molecule remained stable for such long periods, the scientists collaborated with Ken Houk from University of California, Los Angeles. Advanced computer simulations helped explain how the molecule could lock energy inside its chemical structure without rapidly degrading.

The team also focused heavily on making the molecule lightweight and compact. According to the researchers, they removed every unnecessary component from the design to maximize energy storage efficiency.

More Powerful Than Lithium-Ion Batteries

One of the most impressive achievements of the new material is its energy density.

The molecule can store more than 1.6 megajoules of energy per kilogram. For comparison, conventional lithium-ion batteries typically store around 0.9 megajoules per kilogram.

1.6\ \text{MJ/kg} > 0.9\ \text{MJ/kg}

This means the new material can potentially hold significantly more energy for its weight than many existing battery technologies.

The system also performed better than earlier generations of molecular solar thermal materials, marking a substantial improvement in the field.

The Material Can Even Boil Water

To demonstrate the material’s practical potential, the researchers performed a striking experiment.

After storing sunlight energy inside the molecules, they triggered the release process and generated enough heat to boil water under normal ambient conditions.

Boiling water requires a large amount of energy, making this a major milestone for MOST technology. Previous systems in the field often struggled to produce heat strong enough for practical real-world applications.

The success of this experiment shows that the material is not just scientifically interesting — it may actually become useful in everyday energy systems.

Possible Real-World Applications

The technology could eventually support many practical uses, especially in situations where storing heat is more useful than storing electricity.

Potential future applications include:

  • Off-grid heating systems

  • Portable heating for camping

  • Solar-powered home water heating

  • Industrial heat storage

  • Rooftop solar thermal systems

Because the material dissolves in water, scientists imagine a future where the liquid circulates through rooftop collectors during the day, absorbs sunlight, and stores the captured energy in tanks. At night, the stored heat could then be released for household use.

This approach could reduce dependence on expensive battery packs while offering a cleaner and potentially longer-lasting energy storage solution.

A Different Vision for Renewable Energy

Traditional renewable energy systems usually involve several separate components: solar panels generate electricity, batteries store it, and additional systems distribute it.

The MOST approach is different because the material itself both captures and stores solar energy.

This could simplify future renewable energy infrastructure while reducing the need for mining materials used in conventional battery manufacturing.

The project also received support from the Moore Inventor Fellowship, awarded to Associate Professor Grace Han in 2025 to advance development of these “rechargeable sun batteries.”

Challenges Still Remain

Although the results are highly promising, the technology is still in the research stage. Scientists must overcome several challenges before it becomes commercially available.

Researchers still need to improve large-scale production methods, optimize efficiency, and ensure long-term durability in real-world environments. They must also develop practical systems for safely triggering and controlling heat release.

Even so, experts believe this breakthrough represents one of the most exciting developments in solar energy storage in recent years.

A Glimpse Into the Future

As the world moves toward cleaner energy sources, one of the biggest challenges remains how to store renewable energy effectively. The work from University of California, Santa Barbara offers a new and creative solution inspired by nature itself.

Instead of relying entirely on massive batteries or electrical grids, future homes and devices may someday store sunlight directly inside smart molecules — holding energy for months or even years before releasing it when needed.

If successfully developed at large scale, these “rechargeable sun batteries” could become an important part of the future clean energy revolution.

Reference:

  1. Han P. Q. Nguyen, Alexander J. Maertens, Benjamin A. Baker, Nathan M.-W. Wu, Zihao Ye, Qingyang Zhou, Qianfeng Qiu, Navneet Kaur, David B. Berkinsky, Katherine E. Shulenberger, K. N. Houk, Grace G. D. Han. Molecular solar thermal energy storage in Dewar pyrimidone beyond 1.6 megajoules per kilogram. Science, 2026; 392 (6796) DOI: 10.1126/science.aec6413

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