Page 1 of 2

DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 11:49
by speedbird591
One of the advantages of having Cyberbrat studying a science at Uni is that he sometimes hits me with mind-boggling facts.

He told me the other day that Scientists at Harvard have managed to store 700 terabytes of data on to a single gram of DNA.

Why? Because DNA is extremely dense - a single strand contained in a single cell, if unwound, could stretch to the moon. It is also incredibly stable and can last for hundreds of thousands of years in a box in your garage.

So - biological data storage. You could carry all your personal data and back-ups in a bogey up your nose (unless you had a cold) :lol: Whatever next?

http://www.evolutionnews.org/2012/08/wh ... 63701.html

Ian :)

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 12:52
by DaveB
Hmm.. I'm extremely dense but you'd never get that much info stored in me! :lol:

Clever stuff Ian :thumbsup:
ATB
DaveB B)smk

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 15:41
by JohnWillimas
Umpteen gigabytes ona bogey? Hmm, so for Flight Simulator XX (assuming their satanic majesties ever come back to it...) can expect a download and a pocket handkerchief versions?

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 16:58
by Garry Russell
Is blond DNA denser??

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 17:05
by speedbird591
I'm not sure you lot are taking this discovery seriously enough :lol:

I knew I shouldn't have mentioned bogeys 8)

I was actually thinking skid marks but I'm glad I didn't :doh:

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 17:05
by DaveB
Interesting question mate *-)

ATB
DaveB B)smk

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 30 Aug 2012, 17:12
by airboatr
Interesting discovery there Ian.
Taking from what is written in that report and coupling what I already know from life experiences.
*-) I'd venture to say that younger DNA is much more dense than older DNA.
.... if you get my meaning. ;)

Run that past the lad and see what he thinks.
B)smk

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 31 Aug 2012, 03:14
by Airspeed
Come on, come on!
I thought it was mandatory to include sex and booze with all flight sim posts?
May I suggest an experiment? During the next 24 hours, try to pass on as much DNA data as you can to your partner. This may involve one or six glasses of champagne.
Your time starts....... NOW! :excited:

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 31 Aug 2012, 09:43
by basys
Hi Folks

Had been going to post this a couple of months ago,
but thought it too far off-topic to be of interest.

Take a look at YouTube - Molecular Visualizations of DNA - (3 minutes).
The section on the mechanism of DNA Replication (at 1:40) is the most impressive part.

HTH
ATB
Paul

Re: DNA Data storage

Posted: 31 Aug 2012, 10:16
by Airspeed
Paul,
That is absolutely amazing!
Thanks for posting the link. I could watch it for hours.