Emily Chan
After developing a glassy material similar to amber, scientists may be on the right path to successfully preserving DNA sequences to store data.
The first DNA sequence to be preserved in such a manner was seen in the movie Jurassic Park. In the film franchise, DNA preserved in amber was used to bring a population of long-extinct dinosaurs back to life.
As a strong and stable molecule, DNA is capable of efficiently storing vast amounts of data in a small space.
Information can be encrypted into genetic code, not just the binary code system of ones and zeros we use to store data now. DNA-based digital storage can keep all of the digital data in the world in reserve.
However, scientists have not been able to achieve this yet because the best way to currently preserve DNA for data is to freeze it.
Freezing DNA is extremely costly and is not really measurable. In 2023, two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) named James Banal and Mark Bathe have figured out how to store DNA molecules in particles of silica.
Unfortunately, the process of embedding the DNA took several days, and in order to remove it, hydrofluoric acid, a toxic chemical compound that is highly corrosive, was needed.
After additional work, a team of more researchers from MIT, including Banal and Bathe, managed to create an amber-like substance that hardens when heated.
The polymer is based on styrene, a synthetic chemical that is widely used, and a cross-linker. It contains bonds that are easily breakable, allowing it to be degraded in a way scientists can control. Then, the information that was preserved inside can be accessed.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
