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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.

26 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. Corn CDs... by zedmelon · · Score: 5, Funny
    Pioneer has developed a blu-ray disc that is made of corn.

    And best of all, it stays crunchy in milk!

    Fritz Pisot!

    --
    Mom says my .sig can beat up your .sig.
    1. Re:Corn CDs... by tuxter · · Score: 5, Funny

      Kernel release 0.0.1?

    2. Re:Corn CDs... by Slime-dogg · · Score: 4, Funny

      My biggest question is what do they do with the corn shells?

      --
      You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button.
  2. I wonder... by I_am_Rambi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.

    Would that be a popcorn disc?

  3. 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.

  4. Oh boy. by neuro.slug · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let the corny jokes commence.

    Oh wait...

  5. Middle? by kirkb · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is the middle of the disc called the "corn hole"?

    --
    Slashdot: come for the pedantry, stay for the condescension.
  6. Pizza by LordHatrus · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm glad you included pizza; They don't call rackmount servers "pizza box" servers for nothing ;) ... fit a mini-atx nicely :D

  7. Made with corn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Made with corn... ...but filled with porn!

    The cost? Your first born.

  8. Genetic Engineering by vlad_grigorescu · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We have been gentically engineering corn for a variety of purposes for a while now. I wonder if this will spur a "Blu-ray" variant of corn. It should be interesting to consider what properties of the corn would make the best discs (longest lasting, scratch-resistant, etc.)

  9. so a biodegradable archival medium huh? by way2trivial · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Some manufacturers currently offer what should be a 300 year cdr for archiving...

    how long does the corn last anyway?

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
  10. 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 Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Currently from what I understand they have two types of bio plastics. One will be used for containing food you buy at stores, flatware, plates, cups, so forth that you throw out. They take some time to degrade and start when in dark damp places. The second kind you have to burn off at a low temperature, it doesn't give off anything harmfull when burned. Car bodies, interior parts, and long term plastic parts will be made of this type. So unless it's lifetime of the dvd is intended to be weeks or less then they will use the kind that is more or less permanent.

      I haven't seen any data on how long these will hold up even using the type you need to burn off.

  11. Nachos by 3770 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man,

    That's gonna be thousands of tons of corn diverted away from making nachos.

    Make those discs out of egg plant instead. Nobody will miss them.

    Mmmm... Nachos.

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  12. 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.)

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    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  13. Microwaves by Indy+Media+Watch · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.

    He writes that knowing full well what happens to current discs when you put them in the microwave.

    That is.... Awesome lightshow caused by arcs between the thousands/millions of pits and hills on the disc's surface.

    I highly recommend it, but suggest:

    a) Not using your own microwave
    b) Not using a disc you like to watch...

    In case you can't resist,

    c) Not putting it back into your own DVD player afterward.

    --

    Indy Media Watch-Proctologist of the Internet

  14. Re:Warning: Pun! by magefile · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, they'll use cr0n to aut0mate pr0n backups t0 c0rn.

  15. wow by nomadic · · Score: 4, Funny

    24 comments already and no bad jokes using the word "kernel". I'm proud of you all.

  16. CornDisc by SinaSa · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think this is a potentially a very cool thing, but you have to admit it's immensley funny if you think about it.

    Five Pioneer R&D guys sitting at a table, thinking what they are going to do with Blu-Ray. One of them looks down at his bag of nacho's... look's up at the picture of the DVD, then back at the Nacho's.

    The rest is history.

    --
    --
    The last digit of pi is four.
  17. Not a corny joke by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let the corny jokes commence.

    Atkins dieters are eagerly awaiting the Blu-ray disc composed of pork rind.

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  18. I've got one... by bchernicoff · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I wonder what would happen to one of those new discs if you put one in the microwave for 5 seconds.

    You get...pop music!

  19. AOL, are you listening. by sl0wp0is0n · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm waiting for the day when AOL starts sending me free breakfast in mail, everday! :)

    --
    My other dog is a Wienerschnitzel.
    1. Re:AOL, are you listening. by k4_pacific · · Score: 5, Funny

      Gotta eat it fast, as it goes bad after 1045 hours.

      --
      Unknown host pong.
  20. Oh boy-King Taco. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Let the corny jokes commence."

    Why didn't CmdrTaco bring us this story?

  21. 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/
  22. How to make "corn starch plastic" at home... by SkyMunky · · Score: 5, Interesting

    (from http://www.wisagclassroom.org/Corn%20Plastic.pdf )

    Materials Needed :
    cornstarch
    measuring spoons
    corn oil
    water
    medicine dropper
    food coloring
    microwave
    sandwich-size resealable plastic bag
    Procedure:
    1. Place a tablespoon of cornstarch in a resealable plastic bag.
    2. Add two drops of corn oil to the corn starch.
    3. Add one and a half tablespoons of water to the oil and cornstarch.
    4. Stir the mixture.
    5.Add two drops of food coloring to the mixture and stir well.
    6.Next, microwave your biodegradable plastic for 20-25 seconds on high.

    (and obviously, use caution)