Scientists have made a significant advancement in using DNA to store data, paving the way for a more efficient and sustainable method of preserving vast amounts of digital information. This new technology could revolutionise data storage as the demand for information grows.
London-based Michael Peel's article on this topic appeared in the Financial Times on Wednesday.
DNA is seen as a potential solution because of its stability. Remarkably, just one gramme of DNA can theoretically store about 10 million hours of high-definition video. Researchers from the U.S., China, and Germany have developed a method that uses a simple chemical reaction to mimic the binary system of traditional computers. This allows for more accurate and faster data encoding onto DNA compared to earlier methods.
The findings, published in Nature, suggest that this technology could have real-world applications that consume less electricity and resources. Long Qian, a co-author from Peking University, emphasised the urgency of this innovation. “Current storage technologies can’t keep up with the massive amounts of data we generate daily,” he stated. “If data needs to be preserved for over 50 years, using DNA will be cheaper than maintaining hard drives.”
Previous attempts to store data in DNA were often slow, costly, and prone to errors. The researchers utilised a natural chemical process called methylation to modify DNA bases, allowing them to represent two states—methylated and unmethylated—similar to the binary system of 0s and 1s in computers. This simplicity could greatly enhance data storage efficiency.
For example, the team successfully encoded images, including a colour photo of a Panda and a texture reproduction from the Han dynasty. Qian likened their new method to the invention of movable type printing, in contrast to traditional techniques, which he described as tying knots in a rope to record information. Their encoding strategy could be up to 10,000 times faster than current methods, at a fraction of the cost.
Nick Goldman, a senior scientist at the European Bioinformatics Institute, noted that the goal is to create a system that is small, fast, durable, and environmentally friendly. However, he acknowledged that further evaluation is needed regarding speed and cost.
With the rise of artificial intelligence, data generation is now reaching zettabytes—trillions of gigabytes—putting immense pressure on digital storage and increasing electricity demands for data centres. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are even exploring nuclear power options to meet their needs. Despite its potential, the new DNA storage method still faces challenges, as noted by University of Washington researchers Carina Imburgia and Jeff Nivala. They pointed out concerns regarding the long-term stability of the chemically altered bases and the complexity involved in reading and copying them.
Their commentary in Nature stressed that addressing these issues is essential for making this system practical for wider use.
