- 5D memory crystals store an entire human genome for posterity
- The genetic code is kept in merged quartz
- Indestructible memory crystals can support heat, strength and cosmic radiation
In 2016, progress was made in the development of data storage as scientists at the University of Southampton have successfully developed a 5D memory crystal capable of storing up to 360 teraoctets (TB) of data, with a shelf life of almost 14 billion years.
Unlike the storage formats of conventional data which deteriorate over time, technology, nicknamed “Superman Memory Crystal”, has an immense potential for preserving long -term data, opening new avenues in scientific, environmental and environmental archiving historical.
The 5D Memory Crystal developed by the Optoelectronics Research Center (Orc) at Southampton University is a unique data storage medium that uses five dimensions to code information.
5D memory crystal
The term “5D” refers to the two optical dimensions and three space coordinates inscribed in the crystal. With ultra-rapid lasers, the team writes data in nanostructured gaps in the silica material, creating a very durable and stable form of memory storage.
A human genome is the complete whole of genetic instructions for a human being, coded in DNA. It consists of around 3 billion pairs of bases organized in 23 pairs of chromosomes located in the nucleus of each cell.
Although it is not currently possible to synthetically recreate humans, plants or animals from genetic data, there has been progress in synthetic biology. Thus, the preservation of genomes using 5D memory crystals could one day play an essential role in the revival of extinct species (like us) in the distant future.
The creators of the 5D Memory Crystal had the future in mind, since it can be discovered long after the disappearance of humans. The crystal is stored in memory of the archives of humanity – a unique time capsule located in a salted cave in Hallstatt, in Austria. This archive serves as a guarantee, preserving history and human knowledge for future generations.
The data inscribed in the crystal are carefully annotated with universal elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen, as well as the four DNA bases – adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine – which make up the code genetic. In addition, the molecular structure of DNA and the disposition of genes in chromosomes are represented, offering clear instructions on how to interpret genetic information stored inside.
However, it is important to note that 5D memory crystals require a set of highly specialized skills and advanced equipment to register and read the data stored in crystals, so that those who seek to restore the human race after a event of ‘extinction may have to refer to more traditional means.
The crystal, made from fused quartz, is one of the most chemically and thermal resilient materials known on earth and can withstand temperatures up to 1000 ° C, resist direct impact forces up to 10 tonnes per centimeter Square and is not affected for a long time – term exposure to cosmic radiation. The longevity and storage capacity of the 5D memory crystal earned him a world record Guinness in 2014 to be the most sustainable data storage material ever created.
“We know by the work of others that the genetic material of simple organizations can be synthesized and used in an existing cell to create a viable life specimen in a laboratory,” explains Professor Peter Kazansky, leader of the scientific team of The University of Southampton.
“The 5D memory crystal opens up possibilities so that other researchers build an eternal standard of genomic information from which complex organizations such as plants and animals could be restored if science in the future allowed … the visual key Registered on the crystal gives the knowledge of the researcher of what the data is stored inside and how they could be used … We do not know if the technology of memory crystals will never follow these plates in the distance traveled, but each disc Can be expected with a high degree of confidence to overcome their survival time, ”added Professor Kazansky.
