Researchers at the University of Southampton have achieved a remarkable breakthrough in data storage technology by successfully encoding the full human genome onto a 5D memory crystal. The team hope that the crystal could provide a blueprint to bring humanity back from extinction thousands, millions or even billions of years into the future, should science allow. The technology could also be used to create an enduring record of the genomes of endangered plant and animal species faced with extinction. Unlike traditional storage formats that degrade over time, the 5D memory crystal can store up to 360 terabytes of information in its largest size without data loss, even under extreme conditions such as high temperatures. "We know from the work of others that genetic material of simple organisms can be synthesised and used in an existing cell to create a viable living specimen in a lab," explains Professor Peter Kazansky, who leads the Southampton team. The 5D crystal holds the Guinness World Record for the most durable data storage material, having earned the title in 2014. It can survive temperatures as high as 1,000°C and withstand direct impact force up to 10 tons per square centimetre, making it one of the most robust storage mediums ever created. The material, akin to fused quartz, is also resistant to cosmic radiation and extreme environmental conditions. The technology works by using ultra-fast lasers to inscribe data into the crystal’s nanostructured voids. This method encodes information in two optical dimensions and three spatial coordinates, giving rise to the term "5D." The team’s use of nanotechnology allows for data to be written at the microscopic level, with feature sizes as small as 20 nanometers. To demonstrate the potential of the technology, the researchers stored the entire human genome on a 5D crystal. Each of the three billion letters in the genome was sequenced 150 times for accuracy, a process completed in collaboration with Helixwork Technologies. “The 5D memory crystal opens up possibilities for other researchers to build an everlasting repository of genomic information from which complex organisms like plants and animals might be restored should science in the future allow,” says Prof Kazansky. The researchers considered the challenge of future retrieval of the data, especially if the crystal is discovered by an advanced civilisation or artificial intelligence long after humanity has disappeared. In preparation for such a possibility, a visual key is inscribed on the crystal, providing information about the data it holds and how it could be accessed. “The visual key inscribed on the crystal gives the finder knowledge of what data is stored inside and how it could be used,” says Prof Kazansky. This key includes representations of the universal elements—hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen—as well as the four bases of DNA (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine) and their molecular structures. The researchers even paid homage to the iconic Pioneer space plaques by including similar visual clues to indicate the species the crystal represents. Stored within the Memory of Mankind archive, a salt cave in Hallstatt, Austria, the 5D memory crystal awaits discovery in the distant future. “We don’t know if memory crystal technology will ever follow these plaques in distance travelled but each disc can be expected with a high degree of confidence to exceed their survival time,” adds Prof Kazansky. Featuring: Memory of mankind archive When: 20 Sep 2024 Credit: University of Southampton/Cover Images **EDITORIAL USE ONLY. MATERIALS ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDITORIAL STORY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MATERIAL COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH STATED PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR SUPPLIER.**