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New Blu-ray Disc to be Made of Corn

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the homegrown-storage dept.

aws910 writes "I've often thrown away a CD and wondered how long it will take to biodegrade. Pioneer has developed a blu-ray disc that is made of corn. If this disc is widely used, it may be the only easily biodegradable computer part/accessory (with the exception of pizza). Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds." While the idea of a corn disc isn't new, it's the first Blu-ray version of it.

11 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Who throws away dics? by tuxter · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How many people thought they where going to throw away a CD, or, gasp, a CD-R with their amazing 680 meg of data. Give it a few years and we will.

  2. Re:Who throws away dics? by Piranhaa · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well when CD/DVD's came out, I'm sure people were saying the same thing! As more and more demand for more storage comes out, cheaper media comes out, and more and more cheaper burners come out, there's going to be coasters and better for biodegradable reasons :)

  3. Longevity? by fdawg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My CD-Rs are slowly falling apart due to age. After about 4 or 5 years, they're about as good as dirt. Ive been slowly converting everything to DVD but I fear the same thing will happen to them. I remember reading on slashdot that disks have a limitted shelf life due to corrosion and the breakdown of laminates. Now, these disks are designed to breakdown. What good is this to anyone who wants to keep data beyond half a decade?

    1. Re:Longevity? by zakezuke · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What good is this to anyone who wants to keep data beyond half a decade?

      What about data that doesn't need to be kept beyond a 1/2 decade? I think that's the point. The first thing that comes to mind are security camera videos. DVD-/+R is the prevered medium due to its small size and low cost but long term storage is pointless.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  4. Feedstocks! by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This will be great for recycling discs to feedstocks, since most of Hollywood's output is swill fit for pigs anyway. (Sorry if I offended any pigs. I am such an insensitive bastard.)

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  5. But how is the durability? by CarnivoreMan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Is this corn stuff sturdy enough to endure intense office frisbee action?

  6. corporate espionage by k4_pacific · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This would be great for corporate espionage. If you are caught by security, you can hastily wolf it down. No more evidence!!

    "It was a rice cake, I swear!"

    --
    Unknown host pong.
  7. Re:Stupidest idea ever. by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Insightful

    sometimes it is not.

    the idea is that it wont fill landfills like non-sold et carts.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  8. Re:Food supply? by darkmeridian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There is enough food to feed all the world. There hasn't been a consensus to feed them. War and politics prevent this (see Somalia).

    --
    A NYC lawyer blogs. http://www.chuangblog.com/
  9. Trademark Trouble? by chooze · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I wonder if they're going to get into trademark trouble with the other Pioneer

  10. Re:Food supply? by Bazer · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And in some cases 'feeding the country' via charity had a pretty strange side effect. For example farmers who wouldn't teach their kids how to actually _grow_. Why work? Just go get some food from the guy in the white van...