The International Barcode of Life Project
by Sangeeta Haindl
Have you heard of a bio-literate world? A world where you could know in minutes the name of any animal or plant – at any-time or place, including everything about that life-form, from what are its habits to is it endangered or dangerous? Should it even be there, or is it an invader from somewhere else? Imagine how science could use this knowledge to protect the planet's biodiversity and promote human health and well being?
Sound far-fetched? Like something out of the film The Matrix? Well, it is happening right now and is called the International Barcode of Life project (iBOL), the largest biodiversity genomics initiative ever undertaken. It is a consortium of institutions building a database containing DNA barcodes for every species on the planet and unlocking the door to the world by creating a digital identification system for life. This amazing list currently hosts more than 400,000 species.
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Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Sangeeta Haindl writes on social innovation, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurs. She is the owner of Serendipity PR, in London, U.K., where she works with high-profile brands and organizations in the public, non-profit, and corporate sectors, winning awards for her work from the communications industry. She describes herself as a Spiritual Entrepreneur, Conscious Explorer, and Futurist. She enjoys helping others, paying it forward, and being a mum.
