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Scientists Store Entire Textbook In DNA

Posted by timothy on from the ok-but-where-are-the-tiny-spectacles? dept.

sciencehabit writes with this mind-boggling bit from Science Magazine: "When it comes to storing information, hard drives don't hold a candle to DNA. Our genetic code packs billions of gigabytes into a single gram. A mere milligram of the molecule could encode the complete text of every book in the Library of Congress and have plenty of room to spare. All of this has been mostly theoretical—until now. In a new study, researchers stored an entire genetics textbook in less than a picogram of DNA — one trillionth of a gram — an advance that could revolutionize our ability to save data."

3 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Take it one step further by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Store data in DNA, then figure out a way for our brains to interpret it as knowledge. Imagine being born with the combined understanding of all of the major fields of science, history, languages, crafts, trades, from day one.

    1. Re:Take it one step further by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Knowing mankind, they would use it so we're born with knowledge about who's in charge, the limits of our freedoms and the religion appropriate for your country.

    2. Re:Take it one step further by DigiShaman · · Score: 3, Interesting

      At what point would individuality be replaced with fabrication?

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.