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The ability to store and retrieve data differentiates a finite automata that cannot multiply from a universal computer that exhibits artificial intelligence. This course explores the pivotal role of data and information in the computing age: from the 1880s to the present. We will connect the development of storage media, information theory, and metadata to key political, social, technical and economic developments, such as financial exchanges, censuses, war fighting, and the rise of the Internet. The course will take a broader look at storage capabilities and information content in physical and biological systems and forecast the future of data as technologies evolve.