When 89-year-old retired banker Donald Triplett died quietly at his home in Forest, Missouri, in 2023, his passing made headlines for one fact alone: He was the first person ever diagnosed with autism.

It is early evening in Copenhagen. At the intersection where traffic crossing the Queen Louise Bridge meets Frederiksborggade Street, special traffic lights for the bike lane have just turned green, and a constant stream of bikes safely navigates the junction.

Most people don’t think twice about the batteries powering their everyday devices—until it’s time to replace them. But when these essential