The astonishing amount of information of human civilization

In the digital age, humanity has accumulated an unimaginable amount of information, from the beginning of writing to data stored in the cloud. But how much information does our civilization have in total? How is it measured? And most importantly: what does this colossal amount mean for the future of our species?

1. What is information and how is it measured?

In technical terms, information is measured in bits, the basic unit in computing. A bit represents a binary value: 0 or 1. When we scale this measurement, we talk about kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes and, in the case of the information accumulated by humanity, zettabytes (1 zettabyte is equivalent to one billion terabytes).

To give you an idea, a typical book contains approximately one megabyte of information in digital format. By comparison, a streaming service like Netflix processes millions of terabytes of data daily.

2. The explosion of information in the digital age

By 2024, it is estimated that humanity will have accumulated more than 100 zettabytes of dataan amount that continues to grow exponentially. This figure includes:

• Digital data: Files, photos, videos, emails, text messages and databases.
• Physical information: Books, documents, hard drives and other non-digital storage formats.
• Biological data: Genetic sequences and maps of molecular structures, stored in scientific databases.

The volume of data generated daily is equivalent to 2.5 quintillion bytes, driven mainly by social networks, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors and financial transactions.

3. How does it compare to the past?

The information storage and transmission capacity of our civilization has grown exponentially in recent centuries:

• By 1000 AD, recorded human knowledge could be stored in a few million scrolls and books.
• In 1440, the invention of the printing press revolutionized the dissemination of information, multiplying it at great speed.
• Starting in the 20th century, with the arrival of computers and digitalization, the ability to create, store and share data reached unprecedented levels.

4. What do we do with so much information?

Despite the overwhelming amount of data, only a small percentage is actually analyzed or used. According to estimates, less than 10% of accumulated digital information is actively explored, while the rest remains stored, waiting to be processed in the future.

Main applications include:

• Scientific research: From the exploration of the universe to genetic mapping.
• Artificial intelligence (AI): Machine learning models are fed by large data sets to improve their accuracy.
• Business and commerce: Companies use data to analyze trends, personalize products, and optimize operations.

5. Are we close to the limit?

The question of whether there is a limit to data storage is complex. Although current technologies allow almost infinite capacity in the cloud and in data centers, the challenge lies in energy consumption. Global data centers consume approximately 2% of world electricityand this number continues to grow.

Additionally, some researchers are exploring futuristic alternatives such as DNA storagewhich could compress all existing digital information into the size of a grape.

6. What does this amount of information imply for the future?

The massive accumulation of data poses both opportunities and challenges:

• Opportunities: Better understanding of the world, advances in AI, resource optimization and greater global connectivity.
• Challenges: Ethical issues (privacy and surveillance), cognitive overload, and the environmental impact of data storage and processing.

A data-driven civilization

The amount of information that humanity possesses is an impressive example of our progress as a civilization. However, this exponential growth forces us to reflect on how we manage, store and use this data. The key will be to find a balance between taking advantage of this wealth of information and minimizing its negative impacts on the environment and society.

In a world where data is the “new oil”, knowing how to manage this vastness will be essential to ensure a sustainable future. The question is not how much we know, but how we can use this knowledge effectively.