Data are being generated at a rate that exceeds current storage capacity.
Synthetic DNA is an attractive prospect for long-term data storage due to its density, longevity, sustainability, and ease of replication. DNA is estimated to have a density capable of storing 1EB (one million TB) per square inch: magnitudes higher than linear tape-open storage. Storing data this way could also, in theory, keep it safe for thousands of years.
We are accustomed to storing data using bits (0 and 1). Data are encoded in sequences of the four chemical bases of DNA (A, G, C, and T), which can then be 'written' in molecular form through DNA oligonucleotide synthesis, then preserved and stored. When data must be accessed, the relevant DNA is amplified via PCR and sequenced, returning the chemical sequences to digital form for decoding.
DNA storage is not practically useful at present due to high expense and extremely slow read and write throughput. However, Microsoft...