Data Stored In Multiplying Bacteria
from the live-through-a-nuclear-war dept
dsg writes "First atom-level memory, now the 4 letters of DNA serve as a binary like code for data stored in cheap, abundant bacteria. So, I wonder what type of creature is formed using DNA encoded from the song 'It's a Small World'." This is pretty interesting stuff. They're trying to create a storage system that will survive almost any catastrophe. The messages get stored in the DNA of bacteria and continue to get passed on generation to generation. There is some fear of a mutation that could change the data, but also that it could change the bacteria itself.
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Useless
This sounds almost like a scam to dupe gullible investors. It could have some limited use within biology for tracking populations of tagged DNA, but there are already fluorescent dyes and plenty of other tools for that.
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