What’s All the Fuss About...
5D memory crystal
New storage outlives SSDs, USBs, M-DISCs and probably humans too
What is it?
A new type of ultra-durable storage that might be able to preserve data for longer than the current age of the universe.
How many years is that?
A mere 13.8 billion. It can also survive extreme heat (up to 190 degrees Celsius), radiation and even physical degradation, potentially outlasting us all.
So it’s not a simple hard drive?
No - those are rated to last only three to five years. SSDs can last longer, but their flash memory slowly degrades over time. In contrast, 5D memory crystal stores data in a glass disc (pictured) - potentially up to 360 terabytes in a five-inch design, according to scientists at Southampton University.