IBM scientists create magnetic atom that could store information

March 12, 2017 --In traditional computers, the smallest units of information exists in one of two states: 1 and 0, or on and off. Long strings of 1s and 0s can store increasingly complex information that can be used use to perform useful tasks, but that information storage is limited by the size of those individual bits of information in a computer's hard drive. But now, researchers have figured out a way to magnetically store information on the smallest unit possible: a single atom. There's a long way to go before atom-sized information storage technology can make it to your home computer or smartphone, but now researchers have proven that it is possible to store information on an incredibly small level. Theoretically, this new technology could lead to massive data storage capacities on an impressive scale – even in the smallest of devices.