Microsoft has completed work on Project Silica, which enables data to be recorded on glass plates with the potential for storage for up to 10,000 years. While promising, the technology has significant practical limitations, as writing a full 4.8 TB medium takes over 18 days. The research team's results, led by Antje Weisheit, were published in the journal 'Nature'. The company's statement indicates the closure of the research phase, not a rapid deployment for commercial use.

Glass Media for 10,000 Years

Data is recorded as three-dimensional voids burned by a laser into rectangular plates made of borosilicate glass about 2 mm thick.

Massive Data Write Time

The main drawback of the technology is the very slow writing process. Filling the entire 4.8 terabyte capacity takes over 18 days.

Closure of Research Phase

Microsoft's statement suggests the project's conclusion in its current form, not a declaration of further development towards a market product.

Publication in Prestigious Journal

Details of the technological breakthrough were described in an article published in the renowned scientific journal 'Nature'.

Microsoft announced the completion of work on Project Silica. This technology involves recording information on rectangular glass plates about 2 millimeters thick. Data is burned into their structure using a femtosecond laser, creating a three-dimensional grid of so-called voxels. The medium itself remains stationary during reading, and data is retrieved using polarized light and machine learning algorithms.

The problem of archiving digital data for long periods has been a challenge since the dawn of the computer age. Magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optical discs degrade over decades. Historical attempts, such as microfilms or special CDs, had similar goals but did not offer such durability and storage density.

As highlighted in the 'Nature' article, a key advantage is the exceptional durability of glass media, which can remain intact for 10,000 years, being resistant to water, magnetic fields, high temperatures, and physical shocks. This would allow for the creation of a "digital archaeology" for future generations. The research team, in which Antje Weisheit played a key role, used cheaper borosilicate glass, reducing material costs.

„This is an exciting step towards solving one of the biggest challenges of our time: how to preserve our digital heritage for future generations.” — Antje Weisheit

Despite its groundbreaking nature, the technology has significant limitations that prevent its commercial application in the near future. The primary issue is the extremely slow writing process. According to the publication, filling the entire medium's capacity of 4.8 terabytes takes over 18 days. This makes it impractical for daily use or backup. Microsoft's statement, cited by sources, does not indicate further intensive development work but rather the closure of the basic research stage.

Mentioned People

  • Antje Weisheit — Scientist involved in Project Silica at Microsoft Research, cited in materials.
  • Mustafa Suleyman — Head of Microsoft AI, mentioned in the context of the company's broader activities, though not directly related to Project Silica.