Audio long read: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for
About this episode
This episode discusses the emerging use of airborne DNA for monitoring species and its potential applications in conservation and security.
Although scientists have long been able to gather DNA from water and soil, it's only recently that they've started to see the air as a source of genetic information. Airborne DNA is already being used to monitor individual species, but researchers hope its abundance could have multiple uses, including judging the success of conservation efforts or attacks with biological weapons. However, there remains much to understand, such as how far DNA travels in the air, and the ethics involved in the potential identification of a person's genetic information. This is an audio version of our Feature: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Topics covered
- airborne DNA
- genetic information
- conservation efforts
- biological weapons
- ethics of DNA
Keywords
- airborne DNA
- genetic information
- species monitoring
- conservation
- biological weapons
- ethics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Springer Nature Limited
Books & works: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for
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