A DNA computer just calculated the square root of 900
The future of computing is biological, every other form of computing platform from quantum to neuromorphic, will just be transitory.
Key takeaways
- Each combination represents a different number up to 900, and was attached to a fluorescence marker.
- The number could then be deduced from the fluorescent colour.
- The DNA computer could help to develop more complex computing circuits, says Guo.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'A DNA computer just calculated the square root of 900', 311 Institute, 2 January. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/a-dna-computer-just-calculated-the-square-root-of-900/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
There have been a number of developments in making the first DNA computers that could ultimately become some of the most powerful computers in the world, including turning human cells into dual core computers, as well as a pathway to turn humans into biological supercomputers. There have also been several advancements in DNA storage, some of which will be commercialised this year. And now, one of the very first DNA computers made from strands of DNA in a test tube has just been used to calculate the square root of numbers up to 900.
Chunlei Guo at the University of Rochester in New York and his colleagues developed a DNA computer that uses 32 strands of DNA to store and process information, and it successfully calculated the square root of square numbers 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 and so on up to 900.
The computer uses a process known as hybridisation, which occurs when two strands of DNA attach together to form double-stranded DNA. To start with the team encoded a number onto the DNA using a combination of ten building blocks. Each combination represents a different number up to 900, and was attached to a fluorescence marker.
The team then controlled hybridisation in such a way that it changed the overall fluorescent signal so that it corresponded to the square root of the original number. The number could then be deduced from the fluorescent colour. The DNA computer could help to develop more complex computing circuits, says Guo.
“DNA computing is still in its infancy, but holds great promise for solving problems that are too difficult or even impossible to handle by current silicon-based computers,” he says.
Guo believes DNA computers may one day replace traditional computers for complex computations.
Journal reference: Small, 10.1002/smll.201903489
What this means for your organisation
The result is small but real.
A DNA computer with 32 strands found square roots of square numbers up to 900. That is a modest task, and its creator says the field is still in its infancy. 311 data rates DNA computing at TRL 3, with wide use around 2049, so the action is to watch.
Storage may arrive before compute.
DNA storage sits at TRL 6, with a first product in 2023 and wide use around 2036. That is far ahead of DNA computing. Leaders with large archives should follow storage first, as it is the nearer commercial step.
Do not bet on one platform.
Quantum computing is at TRL 7, with wide use around 2038. Biological computing is at TRL 5, with wide use around 2048. Molecular computing is at TRL 3, with wide use around 2065. Keep current plans on today's chips, and name one person to track these alternatives.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our workloads could ever suit a slower, chemical form of computing?
- Who in our team owns the watch on DNA storage and DNA computing?
- What would make us move from watching to piloting?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The future of computing is biological, every other form of computing platform from quantum to neuromorphic, will just be transitory.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- DNA%E2%80%93DNA hybridization en.wikipedia.org
- Smll.201903489 onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 2 January 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). A DNA computer just calculated the square root of 900. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/a-dna-computer-just-calculated-the-square-root-of-900/
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