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Storing Data In Synthetic Fossils
Bismillah tips news of research from ETH Zurich which brings the possibility of extremely long-term data storage. The scientists encoded data in DNA, a young but established technique that has a major problem: accuracy. "[E]ven a short period of time presents a problem in terms of the margin of error, as mistakes occur in the writing and reading of the DNA. Over the longer term, DNA can change significantly as it reacts chemically with the environment, thus presenting an obstacle to long-term storage." To get around this issue, they encapsulated the DNA within tiny silica spheres, a process roughly comparable to the fossilization of bones (abstract). The researchers say data can be preserved this way for over a million years.
Can this be the end to the monthly "Hey guys whats the best way to back up my mp3s and family pics, no i mean really back them up, like for YEARS" on ask slashdot? From now on when one of those submissions gets greenlit, a link to this is going to be the only reply. Are we agreed?
We already have a substantial body of materials from the ancients which go unread or unstudied. And if the rare scholar happens to dig into that material whatever he gleans from it tends not to be communicated to others unless some real revelation is obvious in the material. There is a further issue in that the scholar who does read the material may not have the odd skills required to understand what he is reading. For example a financial transaction might display some form of primitive calculus that would only be noticed by someone who specializes in ancient mathematics. Or it could be some form of description that applies to more than one thing such as a sort of verbal mapping that might have important information. These issues also apply to fairly modern works as well. For example who studies the region now called Hungary for literature appearing in the 14th or 15th, centuries? Did Armenia have a Shakespeare? And we get into India or China the shear volume of materials is a barrier in itself. Now cast forward one million years and try to imagine who would apply much effort to studying what we do today. Frankly we are all lost in time and space it is just that most of us don't know it. If you don't believe that please name one citizen of the Etruscan Empire. Or how about one citizen from the Chaldean Empire?
Today: "I've got this really important data, let's store it as fossilized DNA!"
2000 years later: "Hey, I've found some fossilized DNA, let's inject it in some frog eggs and see what happens!"