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Computers of the Future May Be Minuscule Molecular Machines

Zeroes and 1s are so last century. The next computer revolution may rely not on a binary number system, but one that can store millions of pieces of information in the minuscule attributes of molecules, such as orientation, size and color. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the branch of the U.S. Department of Defense charged with dreaming up futuristic new technologies for the military, is developing a new “Molecular Informatics” program to do exactly that. The long-term goal? Harness chemistry’s natural variation to crank through massive amounts of data processing and storage, creating minuscule molecular machines.”

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