Storing Data In Cow Guts? 294
supersandra writes "News.com reports that companies are exploring how to use molten silicon, designer molecules, and even protein globules from cows as data storage media. The media made by Nanochip using molten silicon, called ovonic media, is similar to CDs or DVDs but can store much more data because the tools for reading and writing data could potentially be 25x smaller. Nanochip demonstrated a 1-inch square chip of material that could contain a terabit of data. ZettaCore has created a complex molecule that can retain or release up to eight electrons, exhibiting a voltage level that can be read as data, and thus each molecule can represent 4 bits of data. Another company, NanoMagnetics, uses a magnetic core surrounded by animal protein, and can also achieve a terabit of data per square inch."
Cow Protein Storage? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:3, Funny)
I would upgrade my hard drive to something with this kind of density if it weren't for the smell!
sev
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
Or the other wait around...
"Your big Mac is going to be late. We had to clear the W32.StuffIT.AA virus out of it..."
And if this ever captures the market, I'm sure someone will pattern the idea of the 2 headed Brahmin From the Fallout games...
"Twice the head, Twice the stomachs, Twice the storage! At the same Low Low Price!"
I have the feeling that every comment on this story is going to be anything except Serious...
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
HONEY! Ther are MAGGOTS in the memory!
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2, Offtopic)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:3, Funny)
Yeah, my temperature concerns have just escalated. Looks like my future drive coolers will have to be made by Frigidaire.
Look at the bright side (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
Re:Cow Protein Storage? (Score:2)
I'm speaking as a vegetarian but not a vegan, BTW.
Was that Jerky? (Score:3, Funny)
Ooooh! Beef jerky! Rghghgh.. *chomp* *chomp* *gulp* Aahhh!
</Homer>
Hey, has anyone seen our system backup?
<Homer>
D'oh!
</Homer>
Storing data in protein globs? (Score:5, Funny)
If it's anything like the data in my secret directory, I forsee an irony overload of epic proportions.
Re:Storing data in protein globs? (Score:2)
So... (Score:4, Funny)
You should erase the drives with these: (Score:2)
Protein Memory (Score:3, Funny)
will also ban beef jerky.
Ok? (Score:2)
Sentient meat? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Sentient meat? (Score:2)
"So where does the thinking happen? Where is the memory stored?"
"Globules of protein in the intestines of cows."
"Bullshit!"
"Yes, precisely! You're getting it!"
Is this kosher? (Score:2, Funny)
This is a serious, if off topic, question. Anyone?
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:5, Insightful)
No. (Score:2)
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:4, Funny)
I never thought I'd have to worry about whether my media storage contains animal parts! What's next, hooking up genetically-altered electro-hamsters as a power supply?
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:2)
I guess I should tell you, then, that your computer's case already contains animal products [vegsource.com].
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:2)
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Is this kosher? (Score:3, Informative)
Next-generation storage for old generation RPGs... (Score:3, Funny)
BS. (Score:2)
Wow, that wasn't offtopic!
Pouring molten silicon into a cow? (Score:2)
[Roseanne Roseannadanna voice] Never mind!
Re:Pouring molten silicon into a cow? (Score:3, Funny)
I'm not liking this. (Score:5, Funny)
Name that Product! (Score:2)
ovonic media? (Score:2)
New Intel Commercials (Score:2)
or rather, "EET MOR KOW" until they buy those guys out.
Re:New Intel Commercials (Score:2)
Until the cows wise up and start wearing fake pig masks. Imagine a whole field of cows looking like this going "OINK. OINK OINK." and looking around to see if anyone notices.
Hmm... (Score:2)
Re:Hmm... (Score:2)
Must have been:
_________
< cowsay! >
---------
\ ^__^
\ (oo)\_______
(__)\ )\/\
||----w |
|| ||
And I'm Sure it had super Cow powers.. Moo!
Re:Hmm... (Score:2)
mke2fs /dev/moo -L "Moo" -T fatcow
I guess filesystem type would be fatcow...not fat16 anyway.
I know.... (Score:2)
Then "Mad Cow" becomes a Good Thing!
Walk into Byte Burger... (Score:2)
I'll have a 5 terabyte burger, large fries and a coke.
Ancient Tech! (Score:5, Funny)
Feh! The Sumerians were reading goat entrails [killer-essays.com] for information ages before this came along.
Uh oh! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Uh oh! (Score:2)
Vegans are gonna be forced to use slower, less compatible soy-protein alternatives.
Maybe, but Apple will give them a sexy green polymer shell and call them soyBooks.
Re:Uh oh! (Score:2, Funny)
Interesting stuff... (Score:2, Interesting)
In case anyone is wondering... (Score:2)
Re:In case anyone is wondering... (Score:3, Funny)
"So if you're thinking of going for your PHD in CompSci, just consider for a moment whether you REALLY want to be combining the math of CompSci, with the Molecular Biology of cow guts."
Instead you can focus on your undergrad CS degree and go straight to combining the long hours of development with the endless bullshit from middle management. :-)
Not as impressive... (Score:4, Informative)
1 terabit = 2^40 bits = 1099511627776 bits
1 terabyte = (2^40) * 8 bits = 8796093022208 bits
Re:Not as impressive... (Score:5, Insightful)
1099511627776 bits = 137438953472 bytes = 134217728 kilobytes = 131072 megabytes = 128 gigabytes.
Re:Not as impressive... (Score:3, Insightful)
It's still roughly 131 GB per square inch. Ask any photographer who uses digital cameras often wether 120 GB of of storage would be be considered insignificant.
Mad cow (Score:2)
Fisher Price's new update to See 'n Says... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Fisher Price's new update to See 'n Says... (Score:2)
Am I the only one on slashdot that thinks 011011010110111101101111 just looks funny.
xb/s (Score:2, Insightful)
achieve a terabit of data per square inch.
yeah. and transfer speeds approaching 1b/sec.
Any idea how slowly RNA encodes a datastream? It ain't quick.
kulakovich
bovonics? (Score:2)
Next thing you know... (Score:2)
I can see it now... (Score:2)
"Driver conflict?"
"No, lactose intolerance."
Also, regarding the terabit-on-a-chip:
"Nobody move. Help me look on the floor here..."
"Contact lens?"
"No, the Library of Congress."
I'm a PETA member, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
Cow guts are inhumane...
use NAUGAHYDE [naugahyde.com] instead.
Re:I'm a PETA member, you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
Or maybe you mean those vegetarian hippies. To them, all I can say is... For every animal [xmission.com]you don't eat [xmission.com], I'm going to eat three [xmission.com]
Associated new product (Score:2)
Oh Great... (Score:2)
Too many comebacks (Score:2)
Must . . . resist . . . snide remark. Must . . . talk like . . . Shatner
So.. (Score:2)
Wait for it... (Score:2)
*dodges tomatoes*
Thank you, thank you. I'm here all week folks. Who's from Milwaukee?
Will it run under Windows? (Score:4, Funny)
Students could open the window at their convenience to check the insides of the cow.
Ugh.
Re:Will it run under Windows? (Score:2)
Re:Will it run under Windows? (Score:2)
The biggest problem (Score:2)
No, not Spam. The other kind. Then again, you have to wonder just what a virus would do to this information transmitting proteins. No, not that kind of virus, the other kind.
No, I don't know which kind either. I just confused myself.
Judging by the article.... (Score:3, Funny)
Moo of death. (Score:4, Funny)
Extraneous words removed for practical readers... (Score:2)
Thanks, but I'll wait for "does" and "Is on sale for less than $100/terabyte."
-Adam
New School Excuse... (Score:2, Funny)
Two things (Score:3, Interesting)
As to ovonics, ovum means egg. Maybe it just refers to the shape and biological nature of the globules.
Center-Cut hardrives? (Score:2, Funny)
Vegetarians (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Vegetarians (Score:3, Funny)
I can see the future... (Score:2)
Cult of the Dead Cow (Score:2)
I wonder what the cDc [cultdeadcow.com]'s take is on all of this...
Interfaces (Score:2)
yes, but (Score:2)
Will there be APT (the package management system with Super Moo Powers) repositories in this?
How about ultradensity storage I can actually buy? (Score:2)
What's next for REAL data storage?
Cow Patties! (Score:2)
Cow Patties!
So.... (Score:2)
THREE bits, not FOUR (Score:2)
If they're not interchangable, then you have 8 bits, which is... well, 8 bits.
But the fact is, I doubt they can count the electrons, let alone make a measurement without disturbing the molecule, so
This adds a whole new meaning to.... (Score:2, Funny)
Atkins Danger (Score:2)
New programming language. (Score:3, Funny)
Sickening (Score:2)
New Company Name (Score:2)
Introducing: Menudo Storage Systems.
I Can Go For This! (Score:3, Funny)
Or put another way, use cow chips for chips!
Re:Cow chips (Score:3, Funny)
> There is a joke here about cow chips
I'll give it a shot.
"Dude, what's that smell?"
"My system just had a core dump!"
Re:k-zed (Score:2, Informative)
Re::: ducks :: (Score:5, Funny)
If only they can somehow expand this technology to work with proteins from animals from the ursus or lupine families, then imagine the RAIDs you could create.
A bear-wolf cluster, if you will...
Re::: ducks :: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I already store my personal data in cow hide (Score:2, Funny)
Re:iCowPod? (Score:2)
Ever try to plug a firewire cable into a cow?
To paraphrase Kryten [reddwarf.co.uk]: "Now, I presume that, uh, when an iCowPod wants to recharge they do it much the same way mechanoids do. Indeed, I have located what I presume to be the recharging socket, but for some strange reason it doesn't appear to have the standard six-pin adaption. Now, do I have to use some kind of special adaptor? Because no matter what I do, the lead just keeps falling out".
Yaz.