Data Storing Bacteria Could Last Millennia

PetManimal writes "Computerworld has a story about a new technology developed by Keio University researchers that creates artificial bacterial DNA that can carry more than 100 bits of data within the genome sequence. The researchers claimed that they encoded "e= mc2 1905!" on the common soil bacteria, Bacillius subtilis. The bacteria-based data storage method has backup and long-term archival functionality." The researchers say "While the technology would most likely first be used to track medication, it could also be used to store text and images for many millennia, thwarting the longevity issues associated with today's disk and tape storage systems ... The artificial DNA that carries the data to be preserved makes multiple copies of the DNA and inserts the original as well as identical copies into the bacterial genome sequence. The multiple copies work as backup files to counteract natural degradation of the preserved data, according to the newswire. Bacteria have particularly compact DNA, which is passed down from generation to generation. The information stored in that DNA can also be passed on for long-term preservation of large data files."

Comments

Shareware

[Harmonious Botch]

This is the ultimate distribution system for OSS. New distros are released every flu season.
It's also not a bad way to distribute movies. Let the RIAA sue a bunch of bugs for file sharing.
And windows could be distibuted on anthrax bacteria, so users would learn to be appropriately wary.

Re:Shareware

[Walt Dismal]

I, for one, salute our new DNA-encoded file-bearing bacterial overlords!

And note that I will happily download BacteriaTorrent as soon as I can be sure I only get movies and not some awful flesh-eating disease that makes me look like an RIAA executive, or maybe Jack Thompson.

Re:Shareware

[chris_eineke]

New distros are released every flu season.

That would explain AOL CDs.

Re:Shareware

[Anonymous Coward]

As a side benefit, the software evolves on its own once released.

Of course, it evolves to benefit its host species' reproduction. I'm not exactly sure what implications that would have for a word processor.

Re:Shareware

[Shadow Wrought]

The best part is, since bacteria never evolve, their DNA will remain unchanged forever;-)

Re:Shareware

[markbt73]

Gives a whole new meaning to "viral marketing," doesn't it?

Obligatory comment

[zappepcs]

But how many Libraries of Congress will a bathroom drain hold?

Re:Obligatory comment

[LordEd]

- What happens when you flush the buffers?
- I suppose this would give a new meaning to 'core dump'.
- 2000 flushes: The blue clean of death

Ok, that's all the programming toilet jokes I can think of. Somebody do some better ones. I can't think tonight.

Re:Obligatory comment

[freedom_india]

I will add more for you:
- Being infected with a Virus gets a new meaning
- Virus cleaners need to be Dettol with a swab
- Worms can't infect Bacteria. In fact Bacteria can infect worms to carry messages
- The word "operating environment" takes a whole new meaning
- Google will have 1.3 million cubic feet of... "bacteria" with some dying and others being grown.
- Shipment of bacteria memories across borders will require truckers to have Biological warfare certificates and Bio-Suits...
- My USB drive can glow in the dark...

Ok, that's all i can think of before i continue my work-:)

backup corruption?

[gr3kgr33n]

My backup chemistry thesis mutated; granting me a degree in forensic anthropology.

Massive Storage Server

[Anonymous Coward]

So now can I consider my poop logs to be massive data centers?

Bacteriophage

[king-manic]

But as always, a virus can still eat your data.

Obligatory bad virus joke

[trainsnpep]

Funny how a virus will still corrupt your data.

Re:Overwriting?

[king-manic]

We're problably someones tape back up. When the main server goes down they'll be coming to vivisect us.

goatse

[doubtless]

"it could also be used to store text and images for many millennia"

Imagine a Scientist from the 37th century scanning a particular bacteria's DNA sequence and hit Goatse

not as big as the 80s

[flanktwo]

100 bits ought to be enough for anybody.

Re:Longevity Issues

[g4sy]

I can see a movie coming on: Indiana Jones and the Lost Bacteria. After a long race to figure out what the sequence means, he is forced to shoot (from an airplane) an unsuspecting Mexican maid (who he had fallen in love with) when she pulls out the AntiBacterial soap on the last remaining specimen in his hotel room.
Or something like that. I might not be the best at futuristic thrillers.

very dangerous

[Anonymous Coward]

I haven't seen a single post by a biologist yet pointing out that if you start inserting arbitary data
into "spare" DNA then sooner or later you are going to create a lethal pathogen - purely on the basis
of probablity and statistics.

Of course you can be sure the one that wipes out all life on Earth will turn out to be an Mp3 encoding
of a Britney Spears tune.

Uh oh

[AndroidCat]

Don't tell AOL about this. I, for one, do not welcome all the envelopes full of "starter" bacteria.

Re:A Must

[MarkRose]

Just be careful where you leave your files around. Imagine:

Friend #1: "Dude, I was hungry, so I helped myself to your yogurt."

Friend #2: "Dude, you just ate my porn collection!"

42

[Alchemar]

They can actually store 7 x 6 in a DNA sequence for furture generations to read? I wonder what the question would read in about 3 million years. The power of DNA is to corrupt itself slightly.

In Soviet China...

[guruevi]

...bacteria store YOU... especially if you are addicted to the Intarhweb

First Encoding

[fyngyrz]

In other news, what was presumed to be junk DNA in the human genome has been decoded. It turns out it contains a message: "Help - I'm trapped in a creature factory."