New battery could change world, one house at a time

[Jadzia]

It's a sodium-sulphur battery. Here's the reaction if the ceramic film cracks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkcIdn1d_7Y

Thank goodness nothing like that happens with gasoline.

Well gasoline needs oxygen. The combustion reaction is restricted by the in and out flows of oxygen/fumes. Whereas sodium an sulphur react without needing air. It's over very quickly and produces tonnes of heat, not unlike thermite.