this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2023
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Futurology

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[–] BananaTrifleViolin@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This is actually a hugely important project if successful. Storing data long term is a huge hidden problem globally. Magnetic storage and optical discs have limited lifespans, and paper remains the most reliable long term medium IF stored in perfect conditions.

We are losing our heritage slowly all the time as books degrade or are lost, or library's struggle. Even data on the internet and digital media is fleeting without a long term solution to archive stuff robustly. Genetic data in seed stores for example would last much longer if we could store it in coded form and "rebuild" the gene later for use.

I hope this project or something similar succeeds as we need to be thinking about how we preserve knowledge and data for not just the next 10 to 20 years but the next 10000 years.

Going futher into sci fi territory, if our species is going to go to other solar systems then it will probably be generation ships unless we make some major discoveries. A civilization that spreads slowly across the stars will need reliable ways to transfer data over 100s and 1000s of years to benefit new worlds. That is all data - our science, arts, music but also genetic data of earth's bio diversity.

[–] Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Oh, cool - I remember reading about this like 15+ years ago as a concept article speculating what data storage of the future might look like.

They called it "3D" or "holographic" data storage.

[–] gaael@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I really hope they ditched ntfs for this project /j

[–] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

So how are future sentient beings supposed to read this after humanoids have been wiped off the face of the planet and our technology has been lost to the churning of time? Is there a primer tablet in stone explaining how to build the tech to read these glass plates with just fire or sun light? Cool tech though.

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world -4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Isn't this a terrible idea since glass molecules flow very slowly, similar to a liquid?

[–] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

the answer is simple:

No, they do not. glass is not a slow moving liquid. that's a myth

[–] SchizoDenji@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Glass is a supercooled liquid.

[–] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

no, it is not. it is an amorphous solid

[–] HerbalGamer@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 year ago

Amorphous means "without a clearly defined shape or form"

She is spherical. A sphere is a well defined shape. So no, she's not amorphous.

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I said "similar to a liquid". Everything I looked up said it is not a liquid, but that it's molecules DO move similarly.

[–] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

but that's the thing. They simply don't. They might shift slightly if it is kept for prolonged periods of time at just under its melting point temperature. other than that, it is a very stable substance. Its molecules do not move similarly to a liquid at all. It's an amorphous solid.

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What's the explanation for windows looking like they're melting then?

[–] vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 year ago

they were made that way. ours today are very even because we use a different process (layer of molten glass on a layer of molten tin, makes a perfectly smooth sheet of glass) They did not have our technology back then. So their sheets had uneven thickness. Also, some windows are thicker on top, not t the bottom, because they happened to be mounted that way and they did not change shape.

[–] PixxlMan@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Shit microsoft forgot about this before investing millions! Quick, hire this man! He just debunked it all!

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago

What are you 5?