DNA Barcode initiative

This piece of 35mm film shows two different 2D barcodes used in film: Dolby Digital (between the sprocket holes with the "Double-D" logo in the middle) and Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (in the blue area to the left of the sprocket holes). Embedded digital a

Article Summary

July 6, 2008 Barcoding is little more than half a century old, yet it has permeated every corner of civilisation. Barcodes enabled machines to recognise objects, and was the first viable technology for enabling computers to track vast systems. Barcodes saved money and time in every area of logistics, but more importantly brought order so that we could measure and analyse very large and complex systems. Now, in an ambitious initiative scientists want to apply this concept to life by using DNA - nature's unique barcode of every species of animal, plant and microbe - to create a vast library of every living organism on the planet. Such a global DNA barcode database would prove invaluable in numerous ways, from identifying new species of organism and monitoring biodiversity to detecting fraud.

« Back to DNA Barcode initiative