Five dimensional disc can store 360TB for eternity

Researchers from the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at University of Southampton came up with a new five dimensional storage disc that can storage data forever. Using nanostructured glass and femtosecond laser writing, this new storage medium can store up to 360TB of data on a small, coin-like disc. The interesting thing is that it's ideal for long-term storage, the disc has thermal stability up to 1000°C and lasts up to 13.8 billion years at a temperature of up to 190°C, making it an ideal candidate for "eternal storage" of important documents, books and other information.

“The storage allows unprecedented properties including 360TB/disc data capacity, thermal stability up to 1,000°C and virtually unlimited lifetime at room temperature (13.8 billion years at 190°C ) opening a new era of eternal data archiving,” the official announcement on the University of Southampton website reads. “As a very stable and safe form of portable memory, the technology could be highly useful for organisations with big archives, such as national archives, museums and libraries, to preserve their information and records.”

The ORC proposes that the technology be used to store historical records, such as Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Newton’s Opticks, Magna Carta, and the Kings James Bible, for the sake of preservation, 360TB at a time. Theoretically, these records could even outlive the human race, leaving an indelible documentation of our collective history.

Via: eTeknix