Data Storage

New federated learning algorithm enables private, robust, and fast AI development

Researchers have developed a federated learning algorithm that solves the long-standing conflict between robustness and efficiency in AI development. The new approach anonymizes data and reduces single-point failure risks while maintaining speed. By remembering past client interactions, servers can protect against malicious input.

Switching spin states in manganese ions with light

Researchers have developed a new manganese-based material that can store data at higher temperatures than existing iron-based materials. This breakthrough in spintronics allows for the creation of more efficient data storage devices.

Rising heat and humidity challenge energy-efficient data center cooling

Climate conditions are increasingly limiting direct air free cooling in data centers, particularly across the tropics and southeastern US. Projections indicate continued expansion of these constraints with sustained warming and increasing humidity.

“Reading relationships, crunching stats” — 184× faster data analysis

TurboLynx, developed by POSTECH researchers, analyzes complex, interconnected data up to 184 times faster than existing systems. The engine groups similar data together and processes them collectively, reducing unnecessary memory usage and enabling efficient analytical queries.

Data explosion in AI era: PolyU leads breakthroughs in protein-based data storage, delivering high storage capacity, strong stability and encryption capabilities 15 May 2026 Research and Innovation

Researchers at PolyU have pioneered a method to store digital data using engineered proteins, achieving high storage efficiency and capacity. They overcame challenges of variable amino acid sequences and degraded proteins by designing a protein template, successfully expressing and retrieving data.

Optical device uses humidity to unlock hidden information, offers new option for data storage

Engineers at UC San Diego developed an optical device that reveals hidden images and changes colors in response to different levels of humidity. The technology has potential applications in anti-counterfeiting labels, secure data storage, interactive displays, and environmental sensors.

Georgia Tech researchers discover new form of NAND flash data storage for deep space missions

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new form of NAND flash memory that can withstand extreme radiation levels, making it ideal for deep space missions. The technology uses ferroelectricity and is up to 30 times more radiation-resilient than current data storage.

Copper cold plates could slash data-center energy usage

Helping data centers deliver higher performance with less hardware

Researchers developed Sandook, a software-based system that tackles three major sources of performance-hampering variability simultaneously. The two-tier architecture optimizes task distribution for the overall pool while faster schedulers on each SSD react to urgent events.

Trinity team's new chip-scale light technology could power faster AI and data centre communications

Researchers developed a new way to generate stable signals of light using microscopic ring-shaped devices, enabling the production of optical frequency combs. This technology has the potential to simplify system design and improve efficiency in high-speed optical communications for data centres.

New holographic data storage approach packs more data into the same space

Researchers developed a holographic data storage approach that combines amplitude, phase, and polarization to store more data in the same space. The new method increases information density while simplifying readout, making it suitable for smaller data centers and faster data processing.

Schwartzman part of team awarded $1 million Sloan Foundation grant

A $1 million Sloan Foundation grant will track and monitor data center development in Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia, exploring its impact on rural communities. The research aims to understand how different policies and regulations shape data center development and its effects on communities.

UT Arlington appoints Lal to lead precision health, informatics

Dr. Dennis Lal has been appointed as the new executive director of the Center for Innovation in Health Informatics at UT Arlington, succeeding Marion Ball. He will lead initiatives on precision health, clinical AI, and health care-scale informatics.

When smaller means better: analyzing how device scaling enhances memory performance

Researchers found that shrinking ferroelectric tunnel junctions significantly boosts their performance, producing larger resistance contrasts between 'ON' and 'OFF' states. This enables efficient and reliable memory technologies for emerging applications in AI, edge computing, and IoT.

SwRI to create advanced Product Lifecycle Management system for the Air Force

Southwest Research Institute is developing a comprehensive Product Lifecycle Management system to store and organize decades of scattered records and data for the US Air Force. The system aims to improve aircraft efficiency and safety by using data, modeling, and analytics to perform repairs and maintenance before problems occur.

Big data and human height: ISTA scientists develop algorithm to boost biobank data retrieval & analysis

Researchers from ISTA developed an algorithm that can extract and analyze information from the world’s most extensive biobank with unprecedented accuracy and speed. The method, dubbed gVAMP, enhances the framework's ability to extract complex information from the dataset at hand, providing a detailed overview of the effects on a trait ...

Turning down the heat

A University of Houston professor has found that tree-like thin films release heat at least three times better than traditional methods, enabling more efficient cooling in AI data centers. The discovery demonstrates the power of physics-aware AI design for validating high-impact cooling solutions.

Experiments for the data storage of the future

Researchers at ZAQuant University of Stuttgart have discovered a new magnetic state in 2D chromium iodide, which could enable next-generation data storage. The twist in the material creates skyrmions, nanoscale magnetic structures that are stable information carriers.

Duplicate medical records linked to 5-fold heightened risk of inpatient death

US research reveals patients with duplicate medical records are 5 times more likely to die after admission and 3 times more likely to require intensive care. Researchers call for improvements in data integrity and health information management to boost patient safety.

UC3M and INCIBE promote a new metric that allows for more accurate assessment of user privacy in digital databases

A new probabilistic metric has been developed to improve the assessment of user privacy in digital databases. The metric provides a more accurate measurement of protection levels by estimating the probability that one individual resembles another user based on the data set within the system.

AI data processing meets privacy at the Josep Carreras Institute

The SECURED project aims to provide a secure environment for decentralized, cooperative processing of health data and anonymisation assessment. The consortium is developing AI models to diagnose and treat patients with blood malignancies in a secure way, ensuring patient data protection and compliance with European privacy regulations.

UH engineers making AI faster, reducing power consumption

The team created a specialized two-dimensional thin film dielectric designed to replace traditional heat-generating components in integrated circuit chips. This breakthrough aims to reduce the significant energy cost and heat produced by high-performance computing necessary for AI.

OFC 2026 plenary speakers address AI, advances in optical technologies and satellite communications

Four industry luminaries will discuss the use of AI-driven network architectures, advances in optical technologies for hyperscale datacenters, and laser-based communications between satellites. The talks highlight innovations in hardware solutions to meet increasing performance demands necessary for AI, datacenters and networks.

UH researchers help break thermal conductivity barrier with boron arsenide discovery

University of Houston researchers have discovered a material with thermal conductivity exceeding 2,100 watts per meter per Kelvin at room temperature. This breakthrough challenges existing theories and could lead to the development of new semiconductor materials with improved thermal management in electronics and data centers.

Rice physicists’ new lab focused on emergent magnetic materials, funded by Department of Energy

The Rice Laboratory for Emergent Magnetic Materials aims to investigate fundamental interactions of magnetism and its role in next-generation technologies. Researchers will focus on emergent phases of matter, including unconventional superconductivity and quantum magnetism.

Crop monitoring system utilizing IoT, AI and other tech showcased at ASABE

The system tracks and analyzes crop development using data from sensors, biosensors, the Internet of Things, and AI. Strong security protocols ensure farmer data remains private and resilient against future quantum computer attacks. The research team plans to improve their system with faster sensor processing and a solar-powered battery.

Answer ALS Launches AI drug development collaboration with Tulane, Pennington Biomedical Research Center and GATC Health to advance ALS treatment discovery

Answer ALS is launching a groundbreaking collaboration with Tulane University and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center to harness AI for ALS treatment discovery. The Louisiana AI Drug Development Infrastructure for ALS (LADDIA) will prioritize therapeutic targets using AI-driven insights from the Answer ALS' Neuromine Data Portal.

Enhancing environmental data sharing: Policy brief Recommendations on Managing Data in the Green Deal Data Space

The joint policy brief from four EU projects aims to guide successful implementation of the Green Deal Data Space. It recommends standardised data exchange technologies, inclusive governance frameworks, and metadata management to unlock Europe's full potential in environmental data.

Innovative ternary alloy films pave the way for ultra-low-power memory devices

Researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo have developed (Al,Ga,Sc)N thin films with record-high scandium levels, enabling efficient data storage and reducing power consumption. The films also show promise for noise filters and optical computing applications.

Message in a bubble: using physics to encode messages in ice

Scientists developed a method to store short messages in frozen ice by manipulating bubble size and distribution. Binary coding proved more effective than Morse code for longer messages, with potential applications beyond messaging, such as improving metal smelting and manufacturing processes.

Menstrual tracking app data is a ‘gold mine’ for advertisers that risks women’s safety – report

A University of Cambridge report argues that menstrual tracking app data is a valuable resource for advertisers but poses significant privacy and safety risks to users. The report calls for better governance of the industry to protect user data and urges public health bodies to launch alternative apps.

Rural location and racial segregation drive gaps in primary care access in Virginia

A recent study found that rural location and racial segregation significantly impact primary care access in Virginia, with nearly half of the state's census tracts lacking adequate physicians within a 30-minute drive. Racial segregation and rurality were strongly associated with reduced access to primary care physicians.

Demonstration of spin-torque heat-assisted magnetic recording

Researchers developed a novel structure to enhance spin-torque heat-assisted magnetic recording, achieving 35% improvement in HDD recording efficiency. The technology has potential for reduced energy consumption and enhanced durability, paving the way for next-generation storage technologies.

The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona joins global effort to unravel the evolution of reproduction in living organisms

The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is part of the international Tree of Sex project, aiming to create a comprehensive database on reproduction in eukaryotes. The UAB will contribute genomic, transcriptomic, and ecological data to expand upon the original initiative.

Log in to your computer with a secret message encoded in a molecule

Scientists have created a new way to store and decode data using synthetic molecules, which can be used to unlock computers with encoded passwords. The method involves designing molecules that contain electrochemical information, allowing messages to be decoded using electrical signals.

How we think about protecting data

A new study suggests that people's views on data privacy are context-dependent and can shift based on different circumstances. The researchers created a card game called Data Slots to elicit public valuations of data privacy relating to various topics and domains.

Towards a FAIR database for molecular simulations

A centralized and accessible database aims to integrate molecular simulation data, ensuring findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability. This will amplify the impact of these data and avoid duplication.

New Priority Program funded by the German Research Foundation aims to make practical use of unconventional magnetism in IT devices

The new Priority Program will focus on developing IT components utilizing altermagnetism, which combines the benefits of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Researchers aim to overcome current limitations and achieve a significant increase in efficiency and speed.

“Electron, go straight ahead!” a shortcut to AI computation discovered

A team of researchers at POSTECH has identified a hidden mechanism in Electrochemical Random-Access Memory (ECRAM) technology, enabling faster and more efficient AI computations. This breakthrough could lead to significant improvements in data processing and reduced energy consumption.

Ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching at the nanoscale

Scientists demonstrate ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching, enabling faster and more robust memory devices. The study uses plasmonic gold nanostructures to confine light and achieve magnetization switching with single femtosecond laser pulses.

First Lancaster University spin out floats on the London Stock Exchange

Quantum Base, a Lancaster University spin-out, has successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange with a £4.8 million fundraising. The company aims to harness quantum technology to address real-world challenges through its patented Q-ID solution for anti-counterfeiting.

Unraveling how a 'magnetic twist' induces one-way electric flow

Scientists at Tohoku University and collaborators have made a significant discovery about how magnetic twist induces one-way electric flow in a unique quantum material. By studying the material's electronic behavior, they found that the 'magnetic twist' directly triggers electronic band asymmetry, leading to nonreciprocal transport.

Novel photochromic glass can store rewritable 3D patterns

Researchers have created a doped photochromic glass that can store rewritable 3D patterns indefinitely. The team used a green laser to inscribe intricate patterns into the glass, which can be erased using heat without changing its structure. This technology has potential applications in high-capacity data storage and encryption.

Toward sustainable computing: Energy-efficient memory innovation

Researchers developed a highly efficient and powerful SOT-MRAM solution using Orbital Hall Effect, eliminating rare materials. This innovation offers a transformative step forward for technologies from smartphones to supercomputers.

Magnetic whirl simulation in real time

A team of researchers from Mainz University successfully simulated skyrmion dynamics on real-time experimental scales using a novel collaborative approach. By combining theoretical and experimental methods, the researchers were able to accelerate the development of skyrmion-based applications for energy-saving computer architectures.

New optical memory unit poised to improve processing speed and efficiency

Researchers developed a fast and scalable programmable photonic latch, enabling temporary data storage in optical processing systems. This technology could enhance AI operations by storing and retrieving data at high speeds.

‘Brand new physics’ for next generation spintronics

Researchers at the University of Utah and UCI have discovered a unique quantum behavior that allows for the manipulation of electron-spin and magnetization through electrical currents. This phenomenon, dubbed anomalous Hall torque, has potential applications in neuromorphic computing.

New polymer ramps up quest for better data storage

A new polymer material can store more data than traditional hard disk drives, with the ability to be erased and recycled in a sustainable way. The polymer's unique structure allows for mechanical force to encode data via indents, which can then be rapidly reorganized upon heating.

Gordon Bell Climate Prize goes to Kaust Frontier Users’ Exascale Climate Emulator

A team of researchers developed an exascale climate emulator that offers faster, radically enhanced high-resolution simulations without massive data storage needs. The emulator uses mixed-precision arithmetic to preserve accuracy and improve performance.

NCSA launches DeltaAI

DeltaAI enables scientists and researchers to address the world's most challenging problems by accelerating complex AI, machine learning, and high-performance computing applications. The system will quadruple NCSA's AI-focused computing capacity and expand the NSF-funded advanced computing ecosystem.

Breakthrough in energy-efficient avalanche-based amorphization could revolutionize data storage

Researchers developed a new method for amorphizing indium selenide wires, requiring as little as one billion times less power density. The process resembles an avalanche and an earthquake, triggering rapid deformation and linking small areas into larger ones, potentially unlocking wider applications for phase-change memory technology.

Self shocks turn crystal to glass at ultralow power density

Scientists have developed a new method for converting crystal to glass using electric current, reducing the need for high-power melt-quench processes. The discovery could transform data storage in devices and unlock wider applications for phase-change memory technology.

Frontier users’ Exascale Climate Emulator nominated for Gordon Bell Climate Prize

The team developed an exascale climate emulator with enhanced resolution without increasing data storage needs. The emulator offers a remarkable resolution of 3.5 kilometers, replicating local conditions on a timescale from days to hours.

Rewriting the future: New molecules reversibly change with light and heat

Scientists at Osaka Metropolitan University have synthesized aza-diarylethenes that exhibit both photoswitching and thermal switching properties. These new molecules can be used as rewritable recording mediums, written with light or heat, and erased with visible light.

Delivery of luminescent particles to plants for information encoding and storage

Researchers create luminescent labels using strontium aluminate particles coated with H3PO4, which exhibit sustained high signal-to-noise afterglow emission. The labels are delivered into plants through microneedles, enabling efficient recording and storage of plant growth information.

For first time, DNA tech offers both data storage and computing functions

Researchers have demonstrated DNA-based technologies that can store, retrieve, compute, erase, and rewrite data. The technology uses soft polymer materials with unique morphologies to create a structure with high surface area for depositing DNA, enabling the full range of operations found in traditional electronic devices.

New material for optically-controlled magnetic memory discovered

Researchers at the University of Chicago have discovered a new material, MnBi2Te4, that can store and access computational data using light. The material's magnetic properties change quickly and easily in response to light, making it suitable for optical storage devices.

Achieving quantum memory in the hard X-ray range

A team of researchers has demonstrated a novel way of storing and releasing X-ray pulses at the single photon level, enabling future X-ray quantum technologies. This breakthrough uses nuclear ensembles to create long-lived quantum memories with improved coherence times.

Hidden Harmonies

Researchers discovered a novel energy transfer channel between magnons and phonons in an antiferromagnet under Fermi resonance, enabling future control of such systems for faster data storage. This breakthrough could lead to increased operational frequencies and enhanced efficiency of magnetic writing.

New collaborative research generates lessons for more adaptive lake management

A new study by Utah State University explores the potential of collaborative modeling to improve reservoir operations and adapt to variable inflow and declining storage. The research involved 26 Colorado River Basin managers and experts who used Google Sheets during video calls to discuss consuming, banking, and trading water.