DNA can already tell much about a person, from probable diseases to their ancestry. Gene research continues at an alarming rate, and many countries have passed laws preventing employers and insurance companies from using such information as a discrimination factor. Not so much for a new player in the game

Metabolites are the new rage. Found in the breath, urine, and sweat, they can tell a story that DNA can’t. Things like what you have been eating, how much exercise, even what God you have been praying to (different churches burn different incense). All the various environments you have been. Halal or Kosher diet, no problem. Habits like drinking, smoking, or drug use. Your general health, things from Parkinson’s disease to diabetes, all have metabolic indicators. The day is coming soon when all this information is found at a swipe of a keyboard.

In the past, it was hard to interpret the metabolic patterns, but a new technique has been developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It arranges molecules by weight — Coupled with a publicly available metabolite database. Last year the University of California linked up all the public databases so samples can be simultaneously compared.

The tech is still young; only 6% of molecules can be identified, up from 2% in 2016. The researchers think by 2024, it will be as high as 20%. With such new tech and the ease of use, legislators better have their ear to the ground as similar to the 1997 film Gattaca; the future is just around the corner.

source:

https://metabolomics.ucdavis.edu/core-services/metabolites

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