Half the atoms in the planet could be digital data by 2245

[Judi Lynn]

By Adam Mann 2 days ago

Changing the world, bit by bit



Information might seem immaterial.

But within a few short centuries, the total amount of digital bits produced annually by humanity could exceed the number of atoms on our planet and, even more unexpectedly, account for half of its mass.

Those are the conclusions of a mind-bending new study looking at the growth of data over time and its potentially catastrophic consequences.

We live in information-rich times. Cell phones everywhere and high social media use mean that almost every human being is generating astonishing quantities of computerized content every day.

More:
https://www.space.com/information-catastrophe.html

[calikid]

1. Tomorrow's waste problem?

Thanks Judi

[brush]

2. Trying to understand this. So do text messages or emails have weight or mass that's measurable...

that somehow effects the planet?

[PSPS]

3. They're already working on much-denser storage media using DNA

Here's an interesting article:

https://www.twistbioscience.com/blog/perspectives/dna-data-storage-setting-data-density-record-dna-fountain

[NNadir]

4. This is nonsense on inspection. n/t.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. "assuming a 20% annual growth, over 350 years"

This is extremely stupid. Melvin Vopson is making a real fool of himself. You may as well say "the average number of photos a person takes in a year went from 25 to 500 in 10 years. That's a 35% per annum growth rate. In 50 years time, we'll be taking 1.6 billion photos each, a year, and we won't have time to do anything else, like sleep. We will all die because we are taking photos all the time. It's the end of the world!"