What is the best way to preserve music for future generations to enjoy? Store it in DNA, of course.
That is exactly what Twist Biosciences, which pioneers high-quality DNA synthesis, has facilitated in collaboration with the University of Washington and Microsoft. Two iconic performances – from the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival, one Deep Purple’s playing of Smoke on the Water, and Tutu by Miles Davis, have been ‘encoded onto DNA and read back with 100 percent accuracy.
Legendary music composer and producer, Quincy Jones, said it “absolutely makes my soul smile” to know that the “beauty and history of the Montreux Jazz Festival” has been preserved in this way.
The DNA innovation will form part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Archive.
Professor Luis Ceze, from the University of Washington, said: “DNA, nature’s preferred information storage medium, is an ideal fit for digital archives because of its durability, density and eternal relevance. Storing items from the Montreux Jazz Festival is a perfect way to show how fast DNA digital data storage is becoming real.”
