Semina Aeternitatis: Using Bacteria for Tangible Interaction with Data

We explore the potential of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules to enable new ways for humans to interact with their stories and memories via a physical interface that engages senses such as touch, smell and taste. Specifically, we embed the memories of an elderly woman inside a micro-organism by means of computing and genetic engineering. To do so, we first encoded the stories into a string of nucleotides. We next designed and fabricated a circular string by appending restriction enzymes and backbone genes. We developed specific bio-protocols to insert the fabricated molecule inside Komagataeibacter rhaeticus bacteria. The transformed bacteria were presented in an exhibition as a sculpture - Semina Aeternitatis, containing billions of copies of the original stories that people could see, touch, smell and taste. Our work is a first step towards a future where the interaction with our past will go beyond words, and take a more tangible format.