An Aussie company is planning to store DNA of the general public, with more and more people wishing to exist forever. The company is launching this scheme after it stored DNA of thousands of defense personnel.
Under a contract, the company DNA Solutions, started of by taking delivery of samples from more than 70,000 full-time and reserve military personnel.The DNA business is witnessing a boon, as people move to place a small part of themselves into storage for eternity.
Under a voluntary scheme implemented by Defence, DNA is collected from a large number of defence personnel by using a technology developed by the Melbourne-based firm. However, these samples will be used only to positively identify dead troops.
Vern Muir, Company chief, said that Defence has asked him that they may have to store DNa samples from as many as 20,000 -30,000 defence pesonnels.
They collect the DNA by taking a drop of blood on a card containing a chemical compound that traps DNA at room temperature. This card, according to the manufacturer, can store the sample for at least 100 years.
"I have seen samples that are years old and they are as good as the day they were taken," The Daily Telegraph quoted Muir, as saying.
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"It is fire-proof and includes multi levels of security such as coded access," said Muir.
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Such DNA sampling facilitates foolproof identification of badly damaged bodies or body parts and would thus help in preventing tragedies like the loss of Private Jake Kovco's coffin en route from Baghdad.
Defence will ask all new recruits and serving troops for getting their DNAs sampled at annual health checks.
Defence said the samples would not be used for anything other than identification.
A single DNA storage kit is available for about 35 dollars and storage costs from 80 dollars to 250 dollars.
Source-ANI
RAS/L
