Dna - Nature's Oldest Storage Device.

It might sound awkward when I say that every human being is a storage device in itself. But it is the truth, and nature has been doing the same for billions of years. Human being has generated such huge amount of data in the past few years that it needs a place to be stored which gave birth to storage devices. The world's first storage device was created by IBM in 1956 which was a hard disk drive named IBM model 350 Disk File. It had a total storage capacity of 5 million character under 5mb and weighed about a tonne.

As the time advanced so did the storage devices. The modern era consists of USB, SD cards, a high calibre SSD and what not.

But are these devices robust , can they store data for billions of years. The answer will be a NO and so came the concept of storing data in DNA.

Why DNA?

Human being is composed of cells. Each cell has about 92 strands of DNA and about 3 million base pair. Each base pair can be used to store DNA(discussed later).

DNA can easily be extracted and sequenced from a human genome even million of years old also( like a mummy or ice age ancestors).

In short DNA is more robust than any other storage device so found.

How To Use This DNA?

DNA is a polynucleotide sequence. Each nucleotide is composed of Base Pair , Phosphoric Acid, and Pentose Sugar.

These base pair( A, G, C, T) are the key to the future success. Base pair can be used to store data. Suppose a digital picture made of 0&1 binary digits can be encoded into A, G ,C ,T as 01 for A , 11 for G, 10 for C and 00 for T. In this way the binary number can be converted into a language of base pair which can be later synthesised and stored for long term use. This DNA can later be synthesized by scientists.

Merits

• More Robust

• Data can be stored for longer duration

• Comparatively cheaper technique

Demerits

• Time taking process as a lot of time is consumed during sequencing.

• Requires skills to perform this activity

One cannot see the future but can predict it and this technology will not only help fortell the future but also preserve the past.