Bacterial DVD Holds 50TB 268
CAMags writes to tell us that a Harvard Professor is claiming to have developed a new variant of a protein called bacteriorhodopsin (bR) that, when layered on a DVD, can store up to 50TB of data. From the article: "The light-activated protein is found in the membrane of a salt marsh microbe Halobacterium salinarum and is also known as bacteriorhodopsin (bR). It captures and stores sunlight to convert it to chemical energy. When light shines on bR, it is converted to a series of intermediate molecules each with a unique shape and color before returning to its 'ground state.'"
I read this in a science book (Score:4, Insightful)
Now I want to program in RNA so that it generates the DNA automatically for me. And then, watch the ____ out!
Drawback ? (Score:2, Insightful)
However, there's a flip side to it also.
"Science can be used and abused. Making large amounts of information so portable on high-capacity removable storage devices will make it easier for information to fall into the wrong hands. Information can be stolen very quickly. One has to have some safeguards there," he added.
It's funny, it reminds me the answer I gave to the interviewer at my first interview
- Now that you tell me your qualities, I will ask you at least a drawback
- Mmmh, I think I'm too perfectionnist, I can sometimes take too much time to do something perfectly well...
Re:Ah, what's the point? (Score:3, Insightful)
As though this didn't apply to 99% of the things we read on
I bet these will have the same problem as CD-RWs (Score:5, Insightful)
Caveats? (Score:5, Insightful)
Normal CDs are actually "damaged" by the laser during recording. Here it's about photochemical effect. Much lower power may be needed which may allow for more data but also for really fast erasing the DVDs by simply exposing them to light. More, how to return it to base state? Seems not to be rewritable. The data lasts a few years. Would there be some "refreshing process" needed?
And last but not least: Is there anyone interested in manufacturing it, or will the harddrive makers buy the patent, then bury it to prevent competition?
There were quite a few such "revelations" like TESA-ROM (1TB on a roll of transparent adhesive tape) but they all vanish without trace... why?
50 TB? (Score:5, Insightful)
Anyway, once we actually reach data storage of that magnitude on a disk, we'll have to face the problem of seek time and transfers. It would be ridiculous to post so much data on a disk, so when this technology is mature, I'm sure disks will be obsolete.
Scientists should spend more time on figuring out how to leave the world of milliseconds and approach the nanoseconds. Remember, the only thing that's running on milliseconds in a computer is based on platters. I'd rather move on from that and get my 50 TB later.
Re:Caveats? (Score:2, Insightful)
Because they learned that making something work in a lab in small amounts is very different from mass manufacturing it for popular use.
Re:I bet these will have the same problem as CD-RW (Score:4, Insightful)
FTA:
Since the intermediates generally only last for hours or days, Prof Renugopalakrishnan and his colleagues modified the DNA that produces bR protein to produce an intermediate that lasts for more than several years.
Straight from the horses mouth: not really. Honestly, I don't really need archival quality retention of 50+ years, I'd be fine if my removable media lasted reliably for 10+ years. As it is, I'm not convinced that database backups my company makes on CDs will last more than 5. Arguably we don't need data that's older than five years, but for accountability purposes I'd rather it be a gauranteed shelf life of 10 years, or at least as far back as the IRS would look in case of an audit.
Re:50 TB? (Score:2, Insightful)
>leave the theoretical figures behind and talk about realistic numbers?
Did you RTFA? This is a discovery. There are no realistic numbers because the product doesn't actually exist yet, and probably won't in a useable form for quite some time. The only thing they've actually done so far is the genetic modification of the protein. The numbers are theoretical because the disc is theoretical.
In a related story. . . (Score:3, Insightful)
Quit repeating the stupid myth (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Actually, the "Exxon is hiding the 100 mpg engi (Score:3, Insightful)
Junk all the tankers. Sell worthless oil fields. Shut down the useless refineries. Build infrastructure for the new cars. And explain to your competition that they should shift from mining oil to growing corn instead of uniting and performing a hostile takeover. Exxon might start making more money per unit sold, but their current property becomes worthless. Would you rather have $1mln in your pocket and earn $30k/year or have just debts, earning $40k/year?
The new technology would kill current oil industry. An independent startup selling such cars is just as dangerous as a rogue oil company in the lobby making use of such a patent. One profits, all lose. They won't remain inactive. And even if none of the competitors stepped in, Exxon, would take years to pay back for shutting down oil operations and starting the ecological ones.
Seems the textbooks assume zero investment, zero value drop in related market segments, and perfectly honest competition.
Re:Agreed, that's a silly concern. (Score:3, Insightful)
That whole line in TFA reeks of a journalist trying to find some 'flip side' to write about, just so he doesn't come off like he's plugging a vaporware product. Rather than actually do any research, he asks the inventor a dumb question about the downsides and prints the guy's underwhelming response.
This sort of cheesy manufactured controversy is pretty popular, and it's a sign of poor journalism.
Re:I bet these will have the same problem as CD-RW (Score:3, Insightful)
Discs that "auto expire" if not kept in the fridge
I thought we already decided with the original DivX that this was not such a good idea.
CONSUMERS decided it wasn't a good idea.
The **AA would probably LOVE it.
Imagine:digital data that degrades...
Your 3 day rental from Blockbuster wouldn't ever have to go back...