Global Data Storage: Can You Store More Info in Human DNA than on Computers?

  • Level: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter esmeralda4
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Data Global Storage
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 2K views
esmeralda4
Messages
52
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone.

I've just read this article on the bbc.co.uk


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12419672

It says..

""The Human DNA in one single body can store around 300 times more information than we store in all our technological devices" according to Dr Hilbert."

Can this possibly be true??

All the digital information stored on everyone's computer in the world is less than the information stored in the DNA of one person?

Sounds a be far fetched to me. Any thoughts? Or is this more of a Biology questions!?

Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org

Discussion

See if you can calculate it yourself: how many cells are in the body? How many strands of dna in each? How many base pairs in each strand? And how many bits could be stored in each base pair?