Decius wrote:
] ] "A message encoded as artificial DNA can be stored within
] ] the genomes of multiplying bacteria and then accurately
] ] retrieved, US scientists have shown.
] ]
] ] Their concern that all current ways of storing information,
]
] ] from paper to electronic memory, can easily be lost or
] ] destroyed prompted them to devise a new type of memory -
] ] within living organisms.
] ]
] ] "A big concern is the protection of valuable information in
]
] ] the case of a nuclear catastrophe," says information
] ] technologist Pak Chung Wong, of the Pacific Northwest
] ] National Laboratory in Washington State. The laboratory was
]
] ] set up as a nuclear energy research institute."
]
] Hrm. I have a hard time buying the idea that this is really
] going to be useful in a nuclear catastrophe. However, these
] bacteria would make for one hell of a covert channel. Of
] course, the encoding/decoding process would have to be as
] automatic as possible, but imagine smuggling secrets in your
] belly button.
]
] I still maintain that it is feasible that our own DNA already
] has messages encoded in it and the SETI people need to get to
] work on decoding it. :)

So, the big concern is nuclear catastrophe? Does this mean that we need to start researching storage of info in the genomes of cochroaches?:)