This was the year genomes became commodities. High-profile people including Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and psychologist Steven Pinker had their genomes analysed. One genome-scanning company, 23andMe of Mountain View, California, gave out free test kits to world leaders at the World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland, and the media reported tales of celebrity “spit parties” where the glitterati meet to deliver saliva samples for analysis. But for as little as $399, you don’t have to be rich and famous to get your genome “done”.
Trouble is, while it may net you a degree of cocktail-party cachet – so…
