5D 'Eternity Crystal' Stores 360 TB of Data for Billions of Years
Researchers at the University of Southampton created a 5D crystal storing 360 terabytes of data for billions of years, inscribing the human genome and including a visual key for future understanding.
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Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a 5D crystal capable of storing up to 360 terabytes of data for billions of years. This innovative technology has been used to inscribe the entire human genome, which consists of approximately three billion base pairs. The crystal, often referred to as the "Superman crystal," utilizes femtosecond lasers to encode data in five dimensions, allowing for a more compact and durable storage solution compared to traditional methods. The project aims to create a long-lasting repository of genomic information that could potentially aid in the restoration of complex organisms in the future. The crystal is currently housed in a time capsule within an ancient salt cave in Austria, overseen by the Memory of Mankind archive. To ensure that any future discoverers, whether human or extraterrestrial, can understand the data, a visual key has been inscribed on the crystal, detailing the molecular structures of DNA and the arrangement of genes. This advancement represents a significant step in data storage technology and the preservation of genetic information.
- The 5D crystal can store 360 TB of data for billions of years.
- The entire human genome has been inscribed onto the crystal.
- The technology uses femtosecond lasers for data encoding in five dimensions.
- The crystal is stored in a time capsule in an Austrian salt cave.
- A visual key is included to help future discoverers understand the data.
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3 commentsIt's called "birefringence":
> The recently developed 5D optical storage technique uses birefringence as an extra degree of freedom – the property of a medium whereby its refractive index varies depending on the polarization and direction of incident light. Birefringence generated by the orientation and size of optical nano-gratings offers two extra dimensions, providing much higher storage capacities.
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