An Ultrathin, Anime-Inspired, Protein-Based Computer Memory Chip

It may seem like an unlikely source of inspiration for a new computer memory technology, but Detective Conan (otherwise known as Case Closed) — a popular anime and manga series about a young detective who uses high-tech gadgets to help him solve cases — could have provided the creative spark that led to the development of a protein-based ultrathin memory. Using ferritin, a protein commonly found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes that facilitates iron storage, scientists from Japan’s Nara Institute of Science and Technology came up with a way to build memory on thinner substrates, thus avoiding the need for energy-intensive, high-temperature processing (often in excess of 1,000°C)