World’s first ever ‘DNA book’ sells for $65, is like a silver bullet and is 500KB in size; shame you can’t actually read it

• Proof of concept sees half a MB of data compressed in a steel capsule that looks like a bullet
• As expected, you cannot read the book like a normal paperback
• DNA storage is still firmly in a futuristic concept

DNA storage offers the potential to store billions of terabytes of data in an incredibly compact form, capable of lasting hundreds of years with minimal cost. The technology is increasingly being seen as a potential way to reduce energy usage, minimize physical space requirements, and enhance data security. Although we are seeing regular breakthroughs, there’s still a long way to go before DNA storage hits the mainstream and we’re still waiting for that major breakthrough.

Recent advancements include a credit-card-sized DNA storage device by the French firm Biomemory, which can hold one kilobyte of data, and the first specifications for storing bytes in DNA were unveiled by the DNA Data Storage Alliance in late 2024.