A USB stick? In the distant future, a little powder should suffice

( 29-10-2018 ) Whether you think about bank accounts, YouTube videos or QR codes, everything is saved as zeros and ones, or data, on a computer. The storage equipment available might not be capable of holding all that information much longer. Ghent University successfully investigates alternative data storage methods . There are two major issues. On the one hand, enormous quantities of heavy metals are needed to produce USB sticks or hard drives. On the other hand, you need huge, energy-consuming servers to keep all this information safe. For that reason, scientists from Ghent University's chemistry, biochemistry and computer science departments have joined forces to look for new ways of storing data.