Microsoft researchers have developed a way to store digital information on regular glass that could stay readable for over 10,000 years. This offers a long-term alternative to magnetic and solid-state storage, which can break down after a few decades, according to reports.
Laser-etched glass stores data far longer than conventional media
The Straits Times reports that Microsoft has shown digital data can be written into glass with a precise laser, making tiny patterns that store information. The company says this glass storage can survive conditions that would damage regular hard drives and flash storage. Researchers believe the laser-etched glass could keep data safe for over 10,000 years, much longer than current archival methods.
Live Science reported that the process uses ultrafast lasers to write data into fused quartz glass, creating tiny multilayered patterns that can be read back with specialized optical equipment. The materials and technique allow the glass to remain stable and resistant to heat, moisture, and electromagnetic interference, factors that typically contribute to “data decay” in traditional storage media such as magnetic tape or solid-state drives.
Potential applications and long-term preservation
The development holds particular promise for archiving large amounts of data indefinitely, including historical records, scientific datasets, cultural artifacts, and other information of enduring value.
Interesting Engineering reported that the current archival methods require periodic data migration to new media every decade or two to avoid loss from degradation and format obsolescence. By contrast, laser-etched glass could reduce the frequency of such maintenance or even eliminate it altogether for certain archival use-cases.
This technology is still being researched and needs more work before it can be widely used. Still, early tests show that laser-written glass could eventually become a very durable option for storing data.
Challenges before commercial viability
Although this method shows promise, it is not ready to replace regular storage yet. Writing and reading data on glass now needs special, costly equipment and is slower than using flash drives or disks. Researchers must improve the technology to make it faster, cheaper, and easier to use with current systems.
In addition, while the theoretical lifetime of the stored data is estimated at more than 10,000 years, real-world validation of that claim under varied environmental conditions will be necessary before organizations can begin to depend on glass storage for critical archives.
A step toward combating “data decay”
Data decay, which is the slow loss of stored information from media breakdown, outdated formats, or damage, is a big problem for archivists, historians, and data managers. Microsoft’s laser-written glass tackles this by using a stable material that does not depend on magnetic or silicon electronics, which usually decay much faster.
If this glass-based storage is improved and made available for sale, it could change how we keep long-term data, from official records to cultural projects, by making stored information last much longer than current methods allow.
