Scientists Convert A 53,000-Word Book Into DNA

In a scientific first, Harvard University researches successfully transformed a 53,426-word book into DNA, the same substance that provides the genetic template for all living things. The achievement could eventually lead to the mass adoption of DNA as a long-term storage medium.

Published Thursday in the journal Science, the experiment aimed to demonstrate the viability of storing large amounts of data on DNA molecules. Since the data is recorded on individual nucleobase pairs in the DNA strand (those adenine-guanine/cytosine-thymine pairs you may be straining to remember from high school biology), DNA can actually store more information per cubic millimeter than flash memory or even some experimental storage techs, IEEE Spectrum reports.

The difficulty is in the translation — both to DNA and back again (summarized in the diagram below). The researchers started with the book’s content, which included the text as well as 11 images and a javascript program, and converted it to binary code. Then they assigned every 0 and 1 a nucleobase.

After that came the heavy lifting: synthesizing the DNA strand, which would be 5.27 million bases long. They made the journey by splitting it into baby steps, each 96 bases long. When they were done, the book was a tiny speck of synthesized DNA that had about one-millionth the weight of a grain of sand. That’s got to look pretty attractive to anyone with a Big Data problem.

0 comments

Comments:

Add your comment

Nickname:

E-mail:

Website:

Comment:

Other articlesgo to homepage

	Consciousness: The Bridge Between Science and Religion(1) Science and religion often seem poles apartand in many ways they are. But I believe the two can, and will eventually, be united, and their meeting point will be human consciousness. That we are conscious beings is the most obvious fact of our existence. Indeed, all we ever know are the thoughts, images, and feelings

	Rossi’s E-Cat Cold Fusion Reactor Validated by Third-Party Tests(0) By: Brad Arnold Cold fusion, or Low Energy Nuclear Reaction (LENR) as many prefer to call it, has a complex and checkered history; and many are still skeptical it is a real phenomenon. But as Beaudette summarized in his excellent book Excess Heat, the data in favor of the existence of LENR has increased year

	4 Fireballs with Same Heading Spotted Over U.S. in last 24 Hours(0) AMS has received confirmed reports about 4 unique fireball events all occurring near 4:00 AM UTC time. The most recent event occurred in Arkansas and Missouri on May 19th near 3:37 UTC. At the same time 3:37 UTC 4 witnesses reported a fireball in Arizona. The distance between these two locations would inhibit witnesses from

	Asteroid 9 times size of ocean liner approaches Earth(0) The 1998 QE2 asteroid has the physical mass to potentially deliver life on Earth a knockout punch, being 2.7km in length. It is to buzz our planet on May 31, aweing the stargazing community. Officially known as Asteroid 1998 QE2, the ‘minor planet’, as astronomers refer to these space objects, is about nine times the

	Experimental Effect of Wireless signals..(0) Here is the basis for the experiment : Take 400 Karsefrø and group them into 12 bins. Then place the six trays in two rooms at the same temperature. Give treys same amount of water and sun over 12 days, and remember to expose half of them to mobile radiation. Six trays of seeds were

Contacts and information

USAHM News has been censored twice before.. We provide citizens with alternative news that the MSM doesnt cover.. Dont become brainwashed by all the lies and propaganda! Join the fight against the NWO.. Contact us if you would like to become a writer for our website. Remember if you dont stand up for your rights, who will?