Preventing A ‘Digital Dark Age’
11:57 minutes
More and more data is born into this world as digital bits, with no analog counterpart. But do we have enough backups to prevent a digital dark age? In our new “File Not Found” series, Science Friday‘s Lauren Young explores how archivists excavate data from aging computers, magnetic tapes, and the internet…and ponders the hypothetical data storage devices of the future, like diamonds and DNA.
Lauren surveys the series, and Kari Kraus of the University of Maryland joins her to talk about techniques for preserving old video games and virtual reality experiences.
Segment Guests
Lauren J. Young
Lauren J. Young was Science Friday’s digital producer. When she’s not shelving books as a library assistant, she’s adding to her impressive Pez dispenser collection.
Kari Kraus
Kari Kraus is an associate professor in the College of Information Studies and the Department of English at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.
Meet the Producer
About Christopher Intagliata
@cintagliataChristopher Intagliata was Science Friday’s senior producer. He once served as a prop in an optical illusion and speaks passable Ira Flatowese.