4. Conclusion

4.1 Techno-scientific perspectives

The proof-of-concept for archiving digital DNA data outside the living world (in vitro) has been established. Several studies have shown that such archiving can support selective and scalable access to data, as well as error-free storage and retrieval of information. However, technical challenges remain to make this process economically viable for a broad spectrum of data. These include improving the cost, speed and efficiency of technologies for reading, and especially writing and editing, DNA or other polymers.

As far as writing is concerned, several players in the field are pinning their hopes on enzymatic DNA synthesis, whose development potential seems greater than that of the traditional chemical route. When modifications...