Issue Data Helix

Summary

Data Helix asks whether synthetic DNA could meet the need for indefinite, unlimited data storage. Synthetic DNA chips would provide durable, large-scale storage that preserves information indefinitely while shrinking the environmental footprint of the digital world. Data generation has surged and is mostly unstructured, with the global datasphere expected to grow from nearly 2 zettabytes in 2010 to 163 zettabytes in 2025, a quarter of it generated in real time, though much data is transient and never stored. Today's magnetic, optical and mechanical media degrade within 5 to 20 years depending on type and conditions, putting knowledge at risk of loss. DNA storage promises vast capacity in little space, but faces limited safeguards on access, interoperability gaps with historical data and between countries, and high costs that could deepen global inequality.