Panasonic Pushes Blu-ray Discs to 16 Layers, 400GB Capacity

Just last month we were reporting 42GB research DVD technology, but Panasonic’s scientists have blown that figure out of the water with a 400GB optical disc. The trick’s been done by making a 16-layer deep Blu-ray disc, and a player with sufficiently clever optics that it can pick up the light scattered by all those layers. The player is also compatible with standard Blu-ray, and for now it’s limited to playback only, designed to demonstrate the technology. But apparently in the future you’ll be able to burn 400GB Blu-ray discs, which is mind boggling. [Impress]