Long-term digital data storage

An optically recordable media comprising:

• a structural support layer sufficient to provide an appropriate rigidity for the optically recordable media;
• an ablatable data layer including one or more portions corresponding to data points that have been subject to ablation, the data points corresponding to digital data that is recordable on the ablatable layer, wherein the ablatable data layer comprises glassy carbon;
• and
• an absorptive layer positioned adjacent the ablatable data layer to absorb ablatable material not entirely ablated during the ablation.

An optically recordable media comprising:

• a first layer configured to provide an appropriate rigidity for the optically recordable media;
• a second layer configured to provide ablatability such that one or more portions of the second layer correspond to data points that have been subject to ablation, the data points corresponding to digital data that is recordable on the second layer;
• and
• a third layer configured to absorb ablatable material not entirely ablated during the ablation.