In many historical episodes, the extent of criminal activity has displayed booms and busts. One very clear example is the case of metal crime, where in the face of big increases in value driven by world commodity prices, the incidence of metal thefts in the UK (and elsewhere) rose very sharply...

Lithium metal is considered to be an ideal anode material due to its ultra-high theoretical capacity and extremely low electric potential. However, the unlimited volume expansion and uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites during the plating/stripping process hinder its practical application....