Microsoft has developed an innovative technology for storing data on glass, which is distinguished by its ability to preserve digital information for a period of up to 10,000 years. This technology relies on the use of 3D laser beams to etch data into glass, allowing huge amounts of information to be stored in a very small space while ensuring its long-term security.

In a step considered a qualitative leap in the field of preserving digital information, Microsoft revealed a major progress in its “Project Silica” project, which aims to store data on glass slides that remain readable for up to 10,000 years. This means that huge amounts of data can be saved for future generations without the need for power supplies or constant maintenance.

“Project Silica” technology relies on the use of high-speed laser beams to engrave digital data inside the glass in a three-dimensional way called “voxels.” These “voxels” represent three-dimensional data units similar to “pixels”, but located inside the glass. The process is similar to ancient CD-ROM technology, but expands into multiple dimensions, allowing a huge amount of information to be stored in a limited space.

In recent experiments, the team succeeded in storing approximately 4.8 terabytes of data on a thin piece of glass just 2 mm thick. This is equivalent to the content of millions of books or thousands of HD movies.

This storage method is highly sustainable compared to current technologies such as hard disks or magnetic storage tapes, which begin to deteriorate after only a few years.

Accelerated aging tests of glass show that data can remain readable for more than 10,000 years without requiring power or maintenance, thanks to the glass’s resistance to environmental factors such as heat, water and dust.

This feature makes Glass Chip an ideal medium for preserving important digital and historical archives, such as government records, scientific documents or cultural content of humanity, so that future generations can access them even after centuries or millennia.

Despite the enormous potential of this technology, technical challenges remain before full commercial deployment. The most prominent of these challenges is the speed of writing data, which is still slower compared to traditional hard disks and SSD disks, in addition to the necessity of developing specialized reading and writing devices to become more efficient.

However, experts believe that this technology would be ideal for long-term preservation rather than everyday uses, so that huge amounts of data could be placed in digital storages without the traditional costs associated with huge power and cooling centres.

With the volume of global data growing rapidly, the need for secure, long-lasting storage solutions has become essential. Studies indicate that the amount of data produced by the world may reach billions of terabytes in the coming years, making traditional media insufficient to store these quantities.

As “Project Silica” progressed, the world began to think about new ways to preserve humanity’s digital history, from texts and images to scientific research and other important data, in a form that could last through very long ages.