News - Hitachi may have solved the digital data retention conundrum

[HEXUS]

Quartz Glass that can withstand the torment of time and temperature.

Read more.

[jnutt]

Question is will it be shatter-proof?

[BongoJoe]

This could be used for some neat looking jewelry which contains vast amounts of information about the wearer: blood group, favourite coctail, etc. It could take the form of a crystal embedded in the owner's hand which changes colour with age finally turning red after thirty years. Now we're making progress!

[howdee]

Question is will it be shatter-proof?

Quartz glass is pretty tough material, but it depends whether you meant if it would stop a bullet (no, it certainly wouldn't) or survive a few feet drop on a hard floor (yes, it should):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_quartz#Typical_properties_of_clear_fused_silica

This could be used for some neat looking jewelry which contains vast amounts of information about the wearer: blood group, favourite coctail, etc. It could take the form of a crystal embedded in the owner's hand which changes colour with age finally turning red after thirty years. Now we're making progress!

LOL @ Logan's Run reference

[kasavien]

Does this remind anyone of the crystals they use in Stargate? or am i more of a geek than most people

[blokeinkent]

Yay! Superman's ice palace ahoy

[c12038]

Could be the next gen of QOROD hard drives Quartz optical Read Only Drive MMMmmm

[baius]

blood group, favourite coctail, etc.

Hopefully wouldn't want both pieces of information at the same time, unless cocktail refers to which tablets one's taking - but, then, who has a favourite?

Could be the next gen of QOROD hard drives Quartz optical Read Only Drive MMMmmm

I suspect you've answered my question, but is this technology designed to be write once or read only? Also, if the former, would the end user be able to write it (like CD-R/DVD+/-R) or would that be a specialist undertaking?

[RAJA666]

We are not too far from cryptonite world now!