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How to Preserve Documents: A Short Meditation on Three Themes

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Petr

    (Regional Centre for Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Václav Ranc

    (Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Vítězslav Maier

    (Regional Centre for Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Pavlína Ginterová

    (Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Joanna Znaleziona

    (Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Radim Knob

    (Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

  • Juraj Ševčík

    (Department of Analytical Chemistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic)

Abstract

The capability to present electronic media that can preserve information is highly restricted to few decades (e.g., a lifetime of DVD media does not exceed 100 years), and therefore the question of how to preserve documents for more than thousands or millions of years presents a challenging task. In this article, we discuss three thinkable possibilities for long-term data storage: (i) self-assembly systems, (ii) chirality, and (iii) nucleic acids. These systems have, in our opinion, added-value regarding functionality and storing capability. Self-assembly systems form 3D structures, which could reflect any information more precisely than a 2D structure, and therefore they could be used as a training information package. Chirality provides the next added value in the possibility of using an interval of for storing the data (fuzzy logic) and could be also interesting in increasing the storage capacity if using compounds with more chiral centers, such as polysaccharides. Finally, nucleic acids represent a method of storage in which the reading step is developed and probably will be still active if people inhabit the Earth, which will realize the whole process of writing/storing and reading easier.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Petr & Václav Ranc & Vítězslav Maier & Pavlína Ginterová & Joanna Znaleziona & Radim Knob & Juraj Ševčík, 2011. "How to Preserve Documents: A Short Meditation on Three Themes," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-6, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:2:y:2011:i:1:p:37-42:d:11536
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andreas Manz, 2010. "The Human Document Project and Challenges," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-2, July.
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