[DiogenesLaertius]

I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States?

[redangus]

Because we don’t graduate engineers anymore. American students all want to be famous or wealthy or both and they want it now. Therefore they major in performing arts, sports or finance. Those pesky math and science course make their little brains hurt. This is another reason why we are slowly becoming a second class country.

[lacrew]

How come the Koreans discovered this first......must be stem cell research.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States?"

Hey, there ARE reseaachers in other countries--SOMETIMES they have to be first. But to put your mind at rest:

http://www.intomobile.com/2008/01/02/stanford-researchers-develop-super-long-lasting-lithium-ion-battery.html

So we're not exactly doing nothing in the area.

[Red Badger]

I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States?

Deuteronomy 28:15-68

[mo]

“I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States....”

Maybe because the Korean college students are in their labs at 6:00 am Saturday mornings?

[ecomcon]

Because we’re just consumers and service providers now. R&D is so last century.

[r9etb]

I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States?

For one thing, Li-Ion batteries are such a promising technology that lots of people are working with them all around the world. It's not surprising that other folks make discoveries, too.

More to the point, if you've been following the FR threads on the topic (there have been many), you'd know that there is a lot of Li-Ion battery research in the US, including a large number of significant breakthroughs.

[AlaskaErik]

I have only one question: why was this discovered in Korea and not the United States?

Go to any university engineering department and see how many Asian students there are compared to Americans.