For over 200 years, the fundamental principles of battery technology have remained largely unchanged. However, the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market and the urgent need for efficient energy storage solutions for renewable sources have intensified efforts to push this technology further.  In the final episode of Balancing the Future Season 1, Dana and Micah are joined by Simon Taylor, Segment Business Development Manager for Battery Technology at METTLER TOLEDO. Together, they delve into the cutting edge of battery innovation -exploring which battery technologies deserve our attention today, how we might double or even triple energy storage capacity in the near future, and the exciting possibility of battery-powered commercial flight.  Simon also sheds light on the ethical concerns surrounding battery production, particularly the urgent need to reform the mining of raw materials like lithium, where child labor remains a critical issue.  With a background in analytical chemistry, Simon shares insights into his successful transition from the lab to the business world, offering valuable lessons from his journey into battery technology.  LINKS:   Simon Taylor on LinkedIn METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions Website  METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions on LinkedIn  Dana Clémençon on LinkedIn  Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn  SOURCES   Alessandro Volta Biography - Encyclopædia Britannica  The Daniell Cell – ScienceDirect  The (surprisingly long) history of electric vehicles - National Grid  Green battery discovery turns trash into treasure – Northwestern University  Renewables Supplied a Staggering 71% of Portugal’s Electricity in 2024 - The Renewable Energy Institute  Portugal allocates funding for 500 MW of energy storage – PV Magazine  5 battery storage innovations helping us transition to a clean energy future – World Economic Forum  What is a Megawatt (MW) and how many homes can it power? - PKNERGY  The Top 5: Largest Battery Energy Storage Systems Worldwide - Saur Energy International  The Volta Foundation Join hosts Dana Clémençon and Micah Schweizer on Balancing the Future from METTLER TOLEDO, where they delve into the world of sustainable technology and its transformative impact on our lives.       Each episode features stories from leading innovators, breaking down complex tech advancements into engaging narratives that reveal how these innovations shape our present and future.       From the origins of new technologies to their individual and societal implications, this podcast offers a compelling look at the future of sustainability. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with over 2.3 million cases diagnosed globally each year. While current detection methods like mammograms and self-exams are valuable, they’re not without limitations. But what if a simple blood test could revolutionize early detection and save countless lives?    In this episode of Balancing the Future, Dana and Micah are joined by Ivana Domljanovic, a researcher at the forefront of breast cancer detection technology. Together, they explore how biomarkers in blood could transform cancer screening and monitoring — integrating seamlessly into routine blood work to make testing more accessible, efficient, and frequent.    Ivana also shares her vision for the future, including the exciting potential for at-home testing kits that empower individuals to monitor their health from the comfort of their homes.     Ivana’s journey into this groundbreaking field began during her PhD studies, sparked by a professor focusing on breast cancer research. At the time, her primary interest was in using nanostructures and DNA origami to detect dysregulation in microRNAs.    LINKS:   Ivana Domljanovic on LinkedIn METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions Website  METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions on LinkedIn  Dana Clémençon on LinkedIn  Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn  SOURCES: WHO launches new roadmap on breast cancer - The World Health Organization History of Breast Cancer - Healthline A Brief History of Breast Cancer - National Library of Medicine Breast cancer: From the earliest times through to the end of the 20th century – ScienceDirect Size of the Nanoscale – Nanotechnology Initiative Accuracy of Mammograms - Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Limitations of Mammograms – American Cancer Society miRNAs as Biomarkers in Disease: Latest Findings Regarding Their Role in Diagnosis and Prognosis - National Library of Medicine Blood Testing for so-called MicroRNAs Can Detect Dementia - German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases    Join hosts Dana Clémençon and Micah Schweizer on Balancing the Future from METTLER TOLEDO, where they delve into the world of sustainable technology and its transformative impact on our lives.       Each episode features stories from leading innovators, breaking down complex tech advancements into engaging narratives that reveal how these innovations shape our present and future.       From the origins of new technologies to their individual and societal implications, this podcast offers a compelling look at the future of sustainability.

Antibiotics have saved millions of lives over the past century. However, their widespread use has led to a crisis – the evolution of antimicrobial resistance or AMR. According to a 2024 study, over a million people have been killed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria since 1990. This number is only set to rise over the coming decades.    In this episode of Balancing the Future, Ana Almeida joins Dana and Micah to explore how pollution in the water supply has contributed to this environmental and global health emergency.     Together they delve into how the prolific manufacture and use of antibiotics has accelerated the development of AMR and discover how there may already be scientists out there who can communicate the scale of this crisis to the public.    Ana Almeida is an environmental and microbiology consultant with 20 years of experience in academia, regulation, and industry.    LINKS:  Ana Almeida’s Website Ana Almeida on LinkedIn METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions Website METTLER TOLEDO Laboratory Solutions on LinkedIn Dana Clémençon on LinkedIn Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn   SOURCES  Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990–2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050 – The Lancet Penicillin: The War-Time Miracle Drug That Saved Millions – Institute of Biomedical Research Antibiotics: past, present and future – ScienceDirect WHO bacterial priority pathogens list, 2024 - World Health Organization (WHO) The Revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive – European Commission New rules for more thorough and cost-effective urban wastewater management enter into force – European Commission The Oil Pollution Act of 1990: A History of Spills and Legislation – The Office of Response and Restoration   Join hosts Dana Clémençon and Micah Schweizer on Balancing the Future from METTLER TOLEDO, where they delve into the world of sustainable technology and its transformative impact on our lives.     Each episode features stories from leading innovators, breaking down complex tech advancements into engaging narratives that reveal how these innovations shape our present and future.     From the origins of new technologies to their individual and societal implications, this podcast offers a compelling look at the future of sustainability.