A breakthrough in the way energy is stored could lead to smaller class="mandelbrot_refrag"> electronics , more trunk space in a hybrid car and eventually clothing that can recharge a cellphone, according to researchers at the University of Central Florida. Nanotechnology scientist Jayan Thomas said in an interview he believes he has discovered a way to store energy in a thin sheath around an ordinary lightweight copper electrical wire. As a result, the same wire that transmits electricity can also store extra energy. "We can just convert those wires into batteries so there is no need of a separate battery," Thomas said. "It has applications everywhere." true The work will be the cover story in the June 30 issue of the material science journal Advanced Materials, and is the subject of an article in the current edition of science magazine Nature. Thomas's Ph.D. student Zenan Yu is co-author. Thomas said the process is relatively simple