STOCKHOLM (AP) — If you're reading this on a cellphone or laptop computer, you might thank the three winners of this year's Nobel Prize in chemistry for their work on lithium-ion batteries.

The batteries power cellphones, laptops, electric cars and countless other devices of modern life, and could become the foundation for a greener future. Batteries that economically store energy from renewable sources like the wind and sun open up new possibilities to curb global warming.

"This is a highly charged story of tremendous potential," quipped Olof Ramstrom of the Nobel committee for chemistry.

The...