The 1970s saw the very first methods for sequencing DNA. Then scientists couldn’t even sequence one single gene, let alone an entire human genome. That meant a few “base pairs” a year…

Then came the Human Genome Project (HGP) in 1990, one of the greatest medical advances of our time, which found that only a few labs had managed to sequence a mere 100,000 bases, and the cost of sequencing remained very high.

Since then, we’ve sped up and dropped the cost, individual gene sequencing is now a normal task and some labs sequence well over 100 million bases a year!

By late 1990s, the scientific community saw a remarkable climax of accomplishments in DNA sequencing. There was the historic sequencing of the human genome,
of course, but also several key model organisms, including the mouse, rat, fruit flies, roundworms and several other fungi.

Comparative Genomics helps us figure out the differences between us and our furry friends. Like the chimp – which has a base difference every 100 bases. That means, we’re really similar!

Today, the mouse genome is complete and we’re working on a veritable zoo of genomic sequences.

In case you didn’t know, DNA territory can be vast. So to locate a single gene amidst three billion base pairs is like looking for a missing friend all over China and just as tiring! Phew!

To deal with this, scientists created powerful tools to make gene hunts faster and more practical – something the HGP was devoted to. Welcome to the advent of genetic maps, physical maps, and DNA sequencing – all A-List tools of the DNA trade.

In the future, everyone could have their genome sequenced! With that information, diet and lifestyle designs could become a future trend – so if your genes tell you that you’ll be more affected by a high fat diet, you can take precautions by eating more greens.

Right now, however, further advances are necessary so large amounts of DNA can be compared with other genomes quickly and cheaply. Comparing differences will yield much information about disease susceptibility, response to environmental influences and even evolution!

And that’s not all…looks like DNA is set to take over!

DNA molecules are like natural supercomputers, and have the potential to perform calculations many times faster than the world's most powerful machines. So one day, DNA might be integrated into a computer chip.

DNA computers can't be found at your local electronics store yet. The technology is still in development, and didn't even exist as a concept a decade ago.

Unlike conventional computers, DNA computers perform calculations parallel to other calculations. Conventional computers operate linearly, taking on tasks one at a time. It is parallel computing that allows DNA to solve complex mathematical problems in hours, whereas it might take electrical computers hundreds of years to complete them.

DNA's key advantage is that it will make computers smaller than any computer that has come before them, while at the same time holding more data. One pound of DNA has the capacity to store more information than all the electronic computers ever built. Wrap your brain cells around that!