Technologies

Microsoft Researchers Figure Out How to Store Data Inside Glass Using Lasers

The researchers say the data could be retrieved from the glass in 10,000 years.

Most of the world’s information is stored digitally right now. Every year, we generate more data than we did the year before. Now, with AI in the picture, a technology that relies on a whole lot of data, the amount of digital information we save is increasing exponentially.

The research arm of Microsoft has been working on a method for data storage that uses a laser to write inside glass. The researchers say that the information written in the glass will last for 10,000 years.

If this method can be scaled for commercial use, it could change how we store the world’s information. Data rot — losing information due to old storage systems — means we have to transfer data at least once every generation to keep it. Otherwise, it gets corrupted with age.

Microsoft’s Project Silica research director Richard Black tells CNET that its work shows long-term digital storage in glass is practical, not just a science experiment.

“One of the biggest challenges with today’s storage is that media wears out and has to be replaced regularly,” Black says. “Glass doesn’t have that problem.”

Using a laser to modify pieces of glass to keep data safe for many lifetimes could have a drastic and lasting impact on all of the information we decide to keep.

Glass memory

Storing data in glass instead of using traditional digital systems is a project Microsoft has been working on for quite a while. Here’s a video that CNET made of the project six years ago, when it was just an idea.

On Feb. 18, Microsoft’s Project Silica published a paper in the science journal Nature that shows real advances in this long-term project. One of the big advances is writing the information on a less expensive material, which makes this technique more affordable.

Originally, the researchers used glass called fused silica. But this material, which is used for components in lasers and semiconductors, is expensive to manufacture, which could make the storage technology cost-prohibitive for many purposes.

Now, the researchers figured out how to store information in a sturdy glass that’s used for kitchen cookware, called borosilicate glass. This material cuts down the cost significantly.

Writing with lasers

To write in the glass, Project Silica has been using femtosecond lasers. A femtosecond is one quadrillionth of a second. This kind of laser emits super-fast pulses. It’s commonly used for eye surgeries because it can cut underneath without damaging the surface.

To store information, the laser cuts voxels inside the glass. A voxel is like a pixel, but it stores information in three dimensions, like a cube, instead of in two dimensions. The video game Minecraft famously uses voxels to create its worlds.

“The key breakthrough is something the team calls phase voxels: tiny, controlled changes written inside ordinary borosilicate glass using a single laser pulse,” Black says. “This makes writing and reading data simpler and faster, and allows the use of low-cost glass rather than specialized materials.”

Because glass is a hard material, it’s not going to change over time. That’s why this storage method could maintain the integrity of the data for much longer than a standard computer system.

To retrieve the information, Project Silica has devised archives to hold the pieces of glass. Robots retrieve the glass, and then a neural network reads the data that’s written inside. Microsoft has a website that shows the robots zooming across the archive to retrieve the glass.

Perpetual storage

Microsoft has already used this storage technique in proofs of concept. In 2019, Project Silica stored the 1978 Superman film inside a piece of glass the size of a drink coaster.

In Svalbard, Norway, this technology is being used for the Global Music Vault project, which is designed to “future-proof” a wide variety of music. Microsoft also says this technology could complement projects like the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, a doomsday vault that has a repository of seeds from different plants around the world.

“Glass is extremely durable and can tolerate heat, humidity, electromagnetic interference and physical damage much better than hard drives or magnetic tape,” Black says. “It also lasts far longer, meaning data doesn’t need to be recopied every few years.

“Because it’s naturally resistant to tampering and doesn’t require ongoing power or frequent replacement, it’s especially well suited for archives,” he continues. “Over long time scales, it can also be more sustainable than today’s storage technologies.”

Technologies

Passengers and crew foil co-pilot’s apparent attempt to crash FlyDubai flight to Israel

One of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight headed for Israel stabbed the second pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On-duty flight crew and passengers managed to foil a pilot’s apparent attempt to crash a FlyDubai flight, after reports emerged of a fight in the cockpit.

The incident on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv happened when a co-pilot stabbed a pilot, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the victim’s quick thinking.

“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.

FZ1073 was diverted to the Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, the airline said, after being successfully secured and diverted by flight crew.

FlyDubai in a statement said that an “altercation” occurred on the flight deck of the plane, but did not mention a stabbing.

However, the airline added that the underlying reasons and motives for the clash is currently unknown, urging all parties to refrain from speculation.

The injured pilot was identified by Netanyahu as Indian national Smit Machchhar. No details have been released on the identity of the attacker, except that he was being interrogated by Saudi authorities.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh said on X that Machchhar is in a hospital in Tabuk, and is reported to be in stable condition.

The Israeli Prime Minister also identified the passenger who broke into the cockpit as Yaniv Hayun, calling him a “hero” and adding he deserved “a global medal of honor.”

Flight data from tracking site FlightRadar24 showed that the plane had experienced extreme altitude fluctuations before broadcasting a “general emergency” squawk code.

FZ1073 had dropped from over 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds, and FlightRadar24 also added that vertical speeds ranging from approximately -30,000 to +10,000 feet per minute were observed from the transponder data.

For context, vertical speeds during normal operations rarely exceed plus or minus 4,000 feet per minute, it added.

Technologies

South Korean President Lee Reins In Alaska LNG Project Participation Following Trump’s Endorsement

South Korea’s proposed $200 billion U.S. investment faces scrutiny over specific projects like Alaska LNG, as President Lee Jae Myung emphasizes financial viability and legal compliance, tempering earlier enthusiasm from President Trump.

South Korea’s proposed $200 billion investment in the U.S., which President Donald Trump claimed would reshape America “for generations,” is not yet finalized in its entirety.

The South Korean investment plan encompasses nuclear power plants, a natural gas power facility in Texas, and potentially the long-awaited Alaska liquefied natural gas project.

Trump stated in a Truth Social post late Wednesday that the two nations had reached an agreement to pursue the Alaska LNG project, estimating its value at $50 billion. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung cautioned on Thursday that involvement in certain projects still hinges on commercial considerations.

Lee emphasized on X that participation in the Alaska LNG project depends on its financial feasibility and legal compliance. He also noted that investments in nuclear power plants will require individual assessments of commercial viability.

The U.S.-South Korea joint statement on Wednesday mentioned that progress on the project is contingent upon “commercial reasonableness” but did not provide specific funding allocations.

The Alaska LNG project aims to transport natural gas approximately 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from fields on Alaska’s North Slope to the state’s southern region for liquefaction and export to markets such as Asia, according to Yonhap. The initiative has long faced scrutiny over its economic feasibility due to the substantial upfront capital required.

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan labeled the project “high-risk” last year, stating that involvement would be challenging without ensuring adequate cash flow.

Overall, the investment package includes $22.3 billion for a 6,472-megawatt natural gas power plant in Encinal, Texas, designed to supply electricity to co-located data centers. The project will be spearheaded by developer Related Cos. and U.S. energy company NextEra Energy.

Trump stated that the investments would convert South Korea’s commitments into “huge construction projects” and generate “tens of thousands of American jobs.”

“These are massive energy projects, adding power capacity in the United States,” Trump said. “This is new construction, new manufacturing, and great jobs for American workers.”

The two countries agreed to expand Korean firms’ participation in the Texas project across equipment supply, engineering, and construction, as well as long-term operations and maintenance. The U.S. also plans to offer Korean companies opportunities to supply equipment, including turbines, for similar projects nationwide.

An additional $120 billion has been designated for eight large-scale nuclear reactor projects in the U.S. Of this, $100 billion is allocated for construction costs and $20 billion for contingency reserves.

The nuclear agreement was signed by both governments along with Westinghouse Electric, Korea Electric Power Corp., and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. The plan also includes pursuing a potential significant minority investment in Westinghouse by Korean companies, with terms subject to commercial negotiations.

Technologies

SEC Advances Crypto Custody Rules as Major Legislation Languishes in Congress

The SEC has proposed new crypto custody rules for investment advisers and funds while comprehensive legislation remains stalled in Congress, creating a regulatory pathway for digital asset holdings.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has unveiled proposed regulations designed to simplify the process for investment advisers and regulated funds to maintain cryptocurrency holdings for clients, as American regulators move forward with crafting digital asset rules following the stalling of comprehensive legislation on Capitol Hill.

The proposal, revealed Thursday, would create a specialized framework governing how registered investment advisers, investment companies, and business development companies maintain custody of crypto assets.

The modifications aim to update decades-old custody requirements and eliminate regulatory obstacles that the SEC says have restricted advisers’ capacity to provide crypto-related investment options.

Under the proposed regulations, crypto assets could be held in self-custody under “certain circumstances,” while state trust companies could also function as custodians for crypto assets belonging to clients and regulated funds.

The changes could also grant regulated funds expanded authority to offer investors crypto-related investment strategies, according to the SEC.

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated that existing regulations had not kept pace with the rapid growth of digital assets, which have evolved into a multi-trillion-dollar market.

“Today’s proposal would provide a clear regulatory framework for the custody of crypto assets, giving investment advisers and funds a compliant pathway where none existed before,” Atkins said.

The proposal arrives as U.S. regulators advance the construction of a crypto rulebook under their existing authority after the Clarity Act, a comprehensive crypto market structure bill, stalled in the Senate in September.

This represents another step in the SEC’s broader initiative to reshape the U.S. regulatory framework for digital assets under Atkins, and will be open for public comment for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register.

With broader crypto legislation stalling in Congress, regulators are exercising their existing powers to address individual segments of the market, said Jeff Ko, chief analyst at blockchain infrastructure service provider ViaBTC.

“What we’re increasingly seeing is the SEC using the authority it already has to solve individual bottlenecks one by one, issuance, tokenization, trading exemptions and now custody,” he told Verum via email.

The changes could also intensify competition among crypto custodians, potentially reducing the cost and complexity of investing in digital assets, he said, adding that institutional custody has historically been concentrated among a relatively small number of providers.

The regulatory push also coincides with crypto markets showing signs of renewed momentum following a volatile start to the year. Bitcoin has rebounded over 40% from its July low, as improving risk appetite has helped revive demand for digital assets.

The recovery follows a prolonged downturn from late 2025 into the first half of 2026.