DNA Data Storage

[JPS35]

Wow! Maybe Skynet, transporters, cyborgs, and Mentats can exist!

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a21741/megabytes-of-data-dna/

 

[dullard]

I dabbled with that back in grad school (although at much smaller scales). Not cheap in the slightest. I don't know the pricing for Twist Biosciences, but the going rate at other companies will be $7 per oligo. That works out to $70 million, or 33 cents per byte stored for this project. Of course, maybe in that much of a bulk you can get it cheaper and maybe Twist has really slashed the price from other automated synthesis machines. And that doesn't even include the time of 20 personnel to do so.

Plus, I think they are exaggerating a bit with the potential. DNA isn't very stable unless it is in an oxygen free storage, with no light, and frozen. Even then it will degrade slowly. Yes, you can read DNA that is 700,000 years old, but that doesn't mean that it is correct.