Okay, barcoding every species’ DNA is just kind of creepy. I’m not sure exactly why this creeps me out, but it does.
Every species, from extinct to thriving, is set to get its own DNA barcode in an attempt to better track the ones that are endangered, as well as those being shipped across international borders as food or consumer products.
Researchers hope handheld mobile devices will be able to one day read these digital strips of rainbow-colored barcodes — much like supermarket scanners — to identify different species by testing tissue samples on site and comparing them with a digital database.
The International Barcode of Life Project (iBOL), which says it is the world’s first reference library of DNA barcodes and the world’s largest biodiversity genomics project, is being built by scientists using fragments of DNA to create a database of all life forms.
“What we’re trying to do is to create this global library of DNA barcodes — snippets, little chunks of DNA — that permit us to identify species,” Alex Smith, assistant professor of molecular ecology at the University of Guelph’s Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, about 90 km (56 miles) west of Toronto.
At least we’ll know what kind of fish we’re eating, for a change.
Reminds me of a programmer’s clipboard, paste a little snippet her, another there, etc…dancing thru the DNA code…lovely
It’s disturbing because it could easily be turned to people. You can’t buy something at a store unless you let your DNA get scanned to identify you, can’t do XYZ etc.
Basically the number of the Beast kind of stuff except imposed by businesses to make money (the root of all evil) instead of an anti-Christ figure.
Basically the number of the Beast kind of stuff except imposed by businesses to make money (the root of all evil) instead of an anti-Christ figure.
I’m not a religious person (okay, I’m an atheist), but my read on the Bible suggests that “businesses making money” and “anti-Christ” are not mutually exclusive.
If any of the prophecies that the Rapture-ready folks swallow daily had any truth behind them, the “one world government” they’re so worried about would be a multi-national corporate oligarchy – that’s closer to a one-world government than the UN will ever be.
Well, yes. And that is what is happening right now. One reason that prophecy works is that people labor over-time to bring it to fulfillment. Consciously (the Christianists) or unconsciously (the businessmen)–and it does not matter which since the result is the same.
If you look for the Mark of the Beast it is everywhere. Many people exerting every effort to bring it about.
Barcode DNA is just one small example. Facebook is another.
The kicker in this particular story is “tracking endangered species.” They won’t be saved, but they will be tracked, right through extinction. Somebody will be making money on it, too.
I’d like to hear one aspect of natural life on earth that isn’t making someone money. I swear I can’t think of one.