Slide: 11 / of 12. Caption: Caption: Central to the plot of Gattaca was a DNA sequencer that the genetically-inferior hero, played by Ethan Hawke, has to game in order to become a spacecraft pilot. This year, New Zealand researchers built the first handheld DNA sequencer which they swear is for health care diagnostics and not to keep me from my dream of one day rocketing to Saturn. University of Otago, New Zealand