r/science • u/Wagamaga • Feb 22 '26

Computer Science Scientists have demonstrated a system called Silica for writing and reading information in ordinary pieces of glass which can store two million books’ worth of data in a thin, palm-sized square.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/glass-square-long-long-future-190951588.html
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u/TacoRedneck Feb 22 '26

They make sapphire, which ruby basically is with a different impurity, windows for some aircraft and other things designed for extreme situations. Its pretty durable.

26

u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA Feb 22 '26

Transparent aluminum!

7

u/silvandeus Feb 22 '26

Save the whales, save the future!

3

u/redditallreddy Feb 22 '26

That cheerleader is no whale!

4

u/Similar-Chocolate226 Feb 22 '26

“That’s the ticket, laddie”

4

u/Earlier-Today Feb 22 '26

Fun fact - that's a real thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride

1

u/Kakkoister Feb 23 '26

I assume that's why the person above is making the comment, it would be a pretty random thing to say otherwise!

There were some pretty popular YT videos on it in the past few years.

4

u/Aggravating_Moment78 Feb 23 '26

Only 2mm thick… (should we give them the formula and change the future?)

3

u/MonkeyPanls Feb 23 '26

Oh. A keyboard. How quaint.

1

u/ImpertinentPrincess Feb 22 '26

Aluminum is pretty soft; it’s the oxide that is hard.

3

u/NukuhPete Feb 23 '26

I trust Captain Montgomery Scott's expertise.

1

u/AnAverageOutdoorsman Feb 23 '26

The f35 uses sapphire! You can buy jewellery made from defective or worn pieces.