45
How has it taken this long?
(www.bbc.co.uk)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Perhaps because they still work?
And, unlike flash storage, magnetic media can retain data indefinitely when stored without power.
That is not true. Old floppy disks often do not work anymore (old as in 15-20 years unused).
It is true. I said can retain data indefinitely, not will retain data forever.
(And in any case, being pedantic here misses the point.)
All indefinitely means is "not certain". So it could mean a week... Or a century.
These disks are pretty well understood. You should be good for a decade. At about 12-13 years it's risky and anything after 15... If it's still working, count yourself lucky.