Next-generation storage device coming up

Using the properties of DNA, billions of gigabytes of data can be stored in a device the size of a small thumb drive.

One of the most essential things in the information age is the ability to store a vast amount of data. According to a report from Scientific American, scientists are researching ways to utilize DNA for the next generation of storage media.

In theory a DNA storage device the size of a sugar cube, or comparatively a small USB flash drive, can store billions of gigabytes of data. While it may sound overwhelming, the need for such a dense storage solution becomes apparent considering it has been estimated that humans will generate 16 trillion gigabytes of digital data by 2017. Data stored in DNA could also theoretically last for thousands of years.

Interest in this field of study from big companies like Microsoft could drive research to produce viable products and acceptable production costs within the decade. Alfred Bayle