The Way DNA Was Preserved In The Jurassic Park Movie Is Now A Reality Thanks To These Scientists

After developing a glassy material similar to amber, scientists may be on the right path to successfully preserving DNA sequences to store data.
The first DNA sequence to be preserved in such a manner was seen in the movie Jurassic Park. In the film franchise, DNA preserved in amber was used to bring a population of long-extinct dinosaurs back to life.
As a strong and stable molecule, DNA is capable of efficiently storing vast amounts of data in a small space.
Information can be encrypted into genetic code, not just the binary code system of ones and zeros we use to store data now. DNA-based digital storage can keep all of the digital data in the world in reserve.
However, scientists have not been able to achieve this yet because the best way to currently preserve DNA for data is to freeze it.
Freezing DNA is extremely costly and is not really measurable. In 2023, two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) named James Banal and Mark Bathe have figured out how to store DNA molecules in particles of silica.
Unfortunately, the process of embedding the DNA took several days, and in order to remove it, hydrofluoric acid, a toxic chemical compound that is highly corrosive, was needed.
After additional work, a team of more researchers from MIT, including Banal and Bathe, managed to create an amber-like substance that hardens when heated.
The polymer is based on styrene, a synthetic chemical that is widely used, and a cross-linker. It contains bonds that are easily breakable, allowing it to be degraded in a way scientists can control. Then, the information that was preserved inside can be accessed.

d7ibril – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
One drawback of embedding the DNA into the polymer is that it takes several hours, but the amount of time can be reduced with further optimization.
The researchers have called it the T-REX method, which stands for Thermoset-Reinforced Xeropreservation. It only takes a few hours to set the DNA at room temperature. It can also store DNA molecules of all sizes.
The team demonstrated their accomplishment by embedding a DNA sequence that encoded the music for the theme song of Jurassic Park and removing it shortly after.
Finally, they sequenced the molecule and verified that no mistakes had been made in the DNA sequence.
Banal and Bathe even started a company called Cache DNA to continue improving their DNA storage technology.
They believe that the technology will first be used to store genetic information to make personalized medicinal approaches possible, but other uses are expected in the future.
The new preservation method might just kickstart the practice of storing digital information in DNA.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
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