5D optical data storage from SPhotonix is going commerical. SPhotonix announced in late 2025 that they’ve secured funding to push this technology toward data center pilots. The core idea uses precise laser pulses to create birefringent nanostructures in silica glass, encoding data in five dimensions for massive density and incredible longevity.
Key specs:

Capacity: 360 TB per 5-inch disc
Lifespan: Estimated 13.8 billion years
Ideal for cold data storage, where quick access isn’t needed but reliability is

This isn’t entirely new—the concept traces back to University of Southampton research led by Professor Peter Kazansky, with milestones like storing the full human genome in 2024. But SPhotonix is the company commercializing it, and they’re talking to major cloud providers about prototypes.

It’s a reminder that sometimes the most durable tech is the simplest—no magnets, no electronics, just glass and light. Worth watching as AI drives more demand for archival storage.