Possible Future of Data Storage?

by **BigBallinStalin** on Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:34 pm

Via DNA coding!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000087 ... 88120.html

In the latest effort to contend with exploding quantities of digital data, researchers encoded an entire book into the genetic molecules of DNA, the basic building block of life, and then accurately read back the text.

The experiment, reported Thursday in the journal Science, may point a way toward eventual data-storage devices with vastly more capacity for their size than today's computer chips and drives.

"A device the size of your thumb could store as much information as the whole Internet," said Harvard University molecular geneticist George Church, the project's senior researcher.

(1) Future game-changer for disseminating information clandestinely.

(2) f*ck! I lost all my data. It was stored in a device the size of... a 100 DNA molecules! KHAAAAAAN!!

(3) In 50 years, I will be able to tap into all the codified knowledge of humanity by slightly twitching my head to the side while tugging the hairs of my left armpit.

by **john9blue** on Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:23 pm

genetic data storage has been hyped up for a while, glad to see that they are making lots of progress.

by **Bleed_Green** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:59 am

This just shows how far Harvard is behind in the times,, there is no such thing as Data Storage now a days.. We Use the Cloud !!!

by **TDK** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:57 am

"A device the size of your thumb could store as much information as the whole Internet," said Harvard University molecular geneticist George Church, the project's senior researcher.

Oh good. With 3.5 billion years of hard work out of the way, DNA can now relax and store porn, spam, and flamewars.

by **crispybits** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 5:01 am

Naah they'll come up with genetically engineered viruses that will automatically delete spam DNA :twisted:

by **MeDeFe** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:08 am

The "last for centuries" bit is good. The fact that it has to be read and written sequentially is a problem in everyday use, but as a backup or for archival purposes it sounds like a very good thing.