Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking method for long-term archival storage using nanostructured glass, marking a significant leap from the fragile magnetic media of the past. The new approach, employing laser writing in glass, is expected to endure well beyond 10,000 years—far surpassing current data centers and cloud storage facilities, which typically rely on hard disks and magnetic tapes requiring periodic copying onto newer hardware.
This innovative development suggests that storing information within glass could be pivotal for preserving humanity’s accumulated knowledge for future civilizations. The research, conducted by scientists from Microsoft in Cambridge, UK, introduces a novel method utilizing a specialized femtosecond laser. This system encodes data into groups of symbols, effectively embedding it within the glass. Each piece of encoded data is stored as tiny deformations called voxels within the glass.
The process involves encoding information into the glass through sweeping it under an automated microscope equipped with a camera and reading these changes at the laser’s maximum repetition rate of 10 million pulses per second. This method, writing each voxel in succession, promises not only to preserve historical data effectively but also to revolutionize how data centers and cloud storage infrastructure operate.
This breakthrough marks a pivotal moment in digital preservation, offering a durable alternative that could outlast even the most advanced forms of hard disk technology. As humanity continues to generate vast amounts of data at an unprecedented rate, this innovative method holds immense promise for safeguarding our collective knowledge for future generations and beyond.