It seems that today marks the 25th anniversary of individual identification by DNA. A wonderful discovery that has opened countless avenues for research into serious disease, anthropology, genealogy, and the like.
But what is it best known for? For being over used in this country and stored in a flawed, illegal and unwarranted database of many millions of people.
Which means that the professor who discovered the technique has to explain the downside of his discovery every time he’s asked about it. But at least he’s unambiguous about it.
“Innocent people do not belong on that database. Branding them as future criminals is not proportionate response in the fight against crime.
It’s like asking Alfred Nobel about suicide bombers every time you mention his discoveries; it must be something of a downer after such a revolutionary development.