3D printing brings the stars to the blind

Discussions of big data often touch on the challenge of visualization. An even greater challenge, though, is rendering the data into something that is comprehensible to people who have to use senses other than sight.

3D printing brings the stars to the visually impaired by rendering Hubble's images into tactile form.
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Reaching for the Stars With 3D Printing

DNA data storage

The latest developments in data storage turn to biology. DNA sequencing, not only allows for big data to be stored for thousands of years, but allows for a more compact encoding system based on the 4 letters in the DNA bases rather than than binary zeros and ones that have been used until now. Still, the cost makes it prohibitive for now, and the fact that the sequencing make the data impossible to update within DNA make it not quite the same as a flash drive.  Read about it in  Big Data: Tiny Storage