Library of Congress to Store Digital Collections in Synthetic DNA for 250 Years

The Library of Congress, America's oldest federal cultural institution, will contribute a synthetic DNA-encoded time capsule to the America250 Time Capsule in Philadelphia in July 2026. The capsule, a tiny metal vial, contains digital copies from the Library's collections stored in synthetic DNA. This initiative follows a 2024 congressional request for a molecular data storage feasibility study. Synthetic DNA, an entirely manufactured molecule, mimics nature's DNA for exceptional information density. The project aims to preserve digital heritage for the next 250 years as part of the U.S. semiquincentennial celebrations.