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Home DNA Sequencing

Posted by timothy on from the for-the-children-by-the-children dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Wired is running an article about high-tech gifts for Christmas, including a home DNA sequencing kit targeted at kids for under $100. What's next, the Fisher Price Cloning kit?"

4 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Messy? by Zorgoth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am curious how powerful the centrifuge is in this thing. My mom worked in a med-lab and they had centrifuge repair guys on call in case one started to make funny noises. Unstable high RPM systems of blood and glass can get a little nasty.

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  2. Boring ! by rcastro0 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    DNA Sequencing ? As Homer Simpson would put it, "Boring !" I mean, "see kid, this barcode is different from this barcode, this is a black bean DNA and this is a green pea DNA", "dad, can't I go back to my playstation ?".

    But, hey, I would like to play with them Pixel Blocks myself ! (from the same wired review).

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    Quem a paca cara compra, paca cara pagará.
  3. The next biotech killer app? by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What's next, the Fisher Price Cloning kit?

    No, its the biotech killer app that will start a civil war in 10-15% (average region dependent) of all households on the planet ...

    Over the counter, at your local drugstore, genetic paternity tests.......

    Whoever markets the first reliable one will be richer than Bill Gates.

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    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
  4. Cool... by Bif+Powell · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's one more thing to add to my list of 'stuff-that-scifi-authors-said-we-would-have-by-20 10'.

    Fix your eyes with friggin' lasers.
    Communications the size of a pack of smokes (cell phones)
    Bluetooth
    The Internet
    Video Conferencing (and even Video Telephones)
    Terrorists with WMDs
    Robot that vaccuums

    and now...Toys for Sequencing DNA for Junior. Heinlein et al would be proud :)

    Still waiting for flying (or automatic/autopilot) cars, permanent station on Moon/Mars (I'll accept either), Cancer/Common-cold cure (I'll accept either), humanoid robot for menial tasks around the house, acceptable voice control/communications in conjunction with useful AI computing...etc...