Memory disk made from sapphire could outlast human civilization [View all]

[Mosby]

We're not really sure what the future is going to be like and sadly we don't have John Connor dropping from the sky to give us any clues. We'll probably need to tell future Earthlings a thing or two, but how do we do we make sure the information remains intact? Sapphires.

That's right — sapphire disks engraved with a little platinum for good measure have been proposed as a long-term data storage solution. And by long term, we mean a million years or so.

The disk is made from two thin disks of industrial grade gemstone, about eight inches across. It's estimated a single disk can store 40,000 miniature pages of pictures and/or text before the disks are molecularly fused together. The prototype disks, which cost an estimated $30 thousand to create will be submerged in acid to simulate ageing and test durability.

http://dvice.com/archives/2012/07/million-year-me.php


A Million-Year Hard Disk

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/07/a-million-year-hard-disk.html?ref=hp