Science by Email | Data storage, Thermal decomposition

Science by Email | Data storage, Thermal decomposition: "

DVDs are a useful, reliable and relatively cheap way of storing information. Australian researchers have recently developed a technique to massively increase a DVD’s storage capacity.

The shiny surface of a DVD has a whole series of little bumps with flat areas in between. A DVD player has a laser that shines on this surface. Depending on how the light reflects, the DVD player can tell if there’s a bump or not. This pattern is then processed by the player, which converts the information into sounds and pictures. Your favourite movie is reduced to a series of bumps on the surface of a DVD! "

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