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12.8 Petabytes, You Say?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the will-it-happen dept.

MadUndergrad writes "Dr. Jonathan Spanier from Drexel University has come up with a novel way to greatly increase data storage density: water. Specifically, they propose using hydroxyl ions to stabilize minute ferroelectric wires. These wires could be many times smaller than what is possible today, enabling data densities in the neighborhood of 12-13 PB per cubic centimeter. While there are still many problems to be resolved before drives using these can be manufactured this technology does seem promising. For one thing, it would be non-volatile, but could apparently be made to act as RAM. The fact that this is coming out of a university gives me hope that this technology won't turn out to be just so much vapor."

11 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. Bah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    To me this idea sounds a little wet.

    1. Re:Bah by Pollardito · · Score: 4, Funny

      your objections don't hold water, stop trying to rain on their parade

  2. Oblig. Dexter's Laboratory Joke: by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny


    A physics professor and his assistant are working on liberating negatively charged hydroxyl ions, when all of a sudden, the assistant says, "Wait, Professor! What if the salicylic acids do not accept the hydroxyl ions?" And the professor responds, "That's no hydroxyl ion! That's my wife!"
    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  3. Backup safety? by pryonic · · Score: 4, Funny

    It'd be pretty annoying if you came back from a run/heavy night's drinking (delete as suits you) and accidentally drank the backup of all your MP3s and pr0n to rehydrate you...

    --
    Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
  4. DMHO is deadly! by spun · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't believe they would be so irresponsible as to use dihydrogen monoxide for data storage. That stuff is deadly!

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  5. What's that smell? by isomeme · · Score: 4, Funny

    this technology won't turn out to be just so much vapor.

    Until the heat sink fails.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a skull.
  6. Overheard at Drexel University Lab Party by Billosaur · · Score: 4, Funny

    Best tasting mineral water I've ever had! Has a funny aftertaste though...

    --
    GetOuttaMySpace - The Anti-Social Network
  7. 100 Millenia of Data by digitaldc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Imagine an iPod playing music for 100 millennia without repeating a single song

    Thats great until during that 100 millenia you encounter the next Ice Age, it freezes stopping its data transfer to only playing one song, "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher
      - for eternity.

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  8. Hey Clippy, I forgot what I by JohnnyGTO · · Score: 5, Funny

    called that spreadsheet!!



    User: Hey Clippy search for .xls files containing "2006 budget"

    Clippy: I see, you want me to spend the rest of eternity searching 13 petabytes for your stupid spreadsheet??! I quit!! User: This maybe the first effective way to get rid of that little twerp.

    --
    Si vis pacem, para bellum! For evil to succeed good men need only do nothing!
  9. Re:You'de still be thirsty... by pryonic · · Score: 4, Funny

    You underestimate just how much pr0n I have, my good Spade.

    --
    Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
  10. Couple of questions by gone.fishing · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this mean that the operating temp range will be 32F - 212F (0C-100C)?

    I would have said, If this is vaporware I'd be steamed...

    I suppose this will give a whole new meaning to the term "The computer froze up"!

    Will we litterally need a bit bucket for overflow?

    I better stop now.