5D Crystals Can Store Genome for Billions of Years
Researchers at the University of Southampton have stored the entire human genome on a 5D memory crystal, a groundbreaking data storage technology that could last billions of years. This crystal, developed by the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), can hold up to 360 terabytes of data and withstand extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, freezing, and cosmic radiation.
The team envisions the crystal as a potential blueprint to revive humanity or endangered species in the far future, should scientific advancements allow. The 5D memory crystal stores data using two optical and three spatial dimensions, making it far more durable than traditional storage methods. The researchers inscribed the genome using ultra-fast lasers, and the data is stored within nanostructured voids in the crystal.
The crystal also serves as a visual guide for future intelligences, displaying key elements and genetic information akin to NASA’s Pioneer spacecraft plaques. Stored in the Memory of Mankind repository in Austria, this technology could preserve human knowledge for future civilizations.