Nanotech Memory Could Hold Data For 1 Billion Years 239
Hugh Pickens writes "Digital storage devices have become ubiquitous in our lives but the move to digital storage has raised concerns about the lifetime of the storage media. Now Alex Zettl and his group at the University of California, Berkeley report that they have developed an experimental memory device consisting of a crystalline iron nanoparticle enclosed in a multiwalled carbon nanotube that could have a storage capacity as high as 1 terabyte per square inch and temperature-stability in excess of one billion years. The nanoparticle can be moved through the nanotube by applying a low voltage, writing the device to a binary state represented by the position of the nanoparticle. The state of the device can then be subsequently read by a simple resistance measurement while reversing the nanoparticle's motion allows a memory 'bit' to be rewritten. This creates a programmable memory system that, like a silicon chip, can record digital information and play it back using conventional computer hardware storing data at a high density with a very long lifetime. Details of the process are available at the American Chemical Society for $30."
Sure it can (Score:5, Funny)
Wow, what a claim. And by the time someone figures out it's bullshit, the guy who made it will be dust long ago.
BRILLIANT!
Finally an archival format we can use. (Score:5, Funny)
The problem with CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, tapes, and so on is that they have extremely short lifetimes (6 to 3 years for most optical media, 10-20 years for most magnetic media).
This is a solution that would finally allow our civilization's information to last beyond the apocalypse occurring in 2012.
Or think think how long Atlantis was lost to intelligent life...
Re:Sure it can (Score:4, Funny)
Wow, what a claim. And by the time someone figures out it's bullshit, the guy who made it will be dust long ago.
Bah! I already have a medium that can store data for a billion years [uncp.edu]. Now you kids can take your newfangled nanotech memory and get off of my lawn!
Re:In 1 billion years... (Score:3, Funny)
Trust me, if you store your Porn collection, some geek in the future will move heaven and earth to get a peek.
It's not a format, it's a medium. (Score:2, Funny)
Sheesh.
So? (Score:5, Funny)
Nanotech - 1 Billion years
Elephant - Forever
Technology simply cannot compete with mother nature.
Re:Nano this, carbon nano that... (Score:5, Funny)
One billion years... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Nano this, carbon nano that... (Score:3, Funny)
No, Mork from Ork was using it in the mid 70's ("Nano Nano").
Re:Sure it can (Score:2, Funny)
Wow, what a claim. And by the time someone figures out it's bullshit, the guy who made it will be dust long ago.
BRILLIANT!
I hope I turn to dust before my drives die....wait!?
Hasn't this been done before? (Score:4, Funny)
I think there is prior art [slashdot.org] on this one:
Re:Sure it can (Score:1, Funny)
Don't worry. The drives will last another three years. You'll have a whole year to turn to dust.
- God
P.S. Arrange for someone to come over to feed your cat on May 12, 2011.
Re:A billion years? (Score:3, Funny)
You could store instructions for accessing the data right in the device! Then you'd be sure there's a durable copy available.
Screw that... (Score:4, Funny)
Build nano-elephants.
That way we will be combining nano-technology and nature and we will have a device that stores data for billion forevers.
Re:Main problem (Score:1, Funny)
Ten years ago, hard drives could last ten years
five years ago, hard drives could last five years
two years ago, hard drives could last two years
Aww Shit! The Mayans were right about the end of the world occurring in 2010!!!
Re:Sure it can (Score:4, Funny)