5D Memory Crystal : Human Genome for Eternity

The new wave of technological innovation have stormed the shores of Genomic studies as scientists in University of Southampton developed a 5D memory crystal that is used to store the human genome. The crystal can hold upto 360 terabytes of data for billions of years unlike other data storage formats that degrades over time. The entire human genome of three billion letters is encoded in it along with the ensuring of accuracy by sequencing it for one hundred fifty times.

The team at Southampton used ultra-fast lasers to precisely inscribe data into nanostructured voids orientated within silica. Unlike marking only on the surface of a 2D element, this method of encoding uses three spatial co-ordinates and two other optical coordinates – angle of light and intensity of light .The crystal is equivalent to fused quartz and it is specifically chosen since it is one of the most chemically and thermally durable materials on Earth. It can withstand the high and low extremes of freezing, fire and temperatures of up to 1000 °C.

The visual key inscribed on the crystal displays the details of the data stored inside and its uses. The key shows the universal elements –‘’hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen’’, the four bases of the DNA molecule –‘adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine’with their molecular structure; their placement in the double helix structure of DNA; and the position of genes into a chromosome, that can then be inserted into a cell.

The longevity of the crystals mean they will outlast humans and other species. This could be most important element to restore not just human but all varieties of species of our ecosystems.