Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"[Science fiction is] nightmares and visions, always outlined by the barely possible."
- Gregory Benford
 |
| Automated DNA Typing | ||
| A device that takes quick samples of DNA and compares each sample to a database. |
In the future society depicted in the film, employment is strictly controlled. Certain positions have absolute genetic requirements.
In fact, for particular jobs, you must prove every day that you are who you say you are. And you must prove that you are genetically pure and worthy - every day. To make sure, you give a small blood sample taken by an automated DNA typing machine.
 (Employees provide a DNA sample upon entry)
 (A droplet of blood from each employee is analyzed) |
| Technovelgy from Gattaca,
by Andrew Niccol. Published by Columbia Pictures in 1997 Additional resources -
|
DNA typing (also called genetic fingerprinting, DNA testing, DNA typing, and DNA profiling) was invented by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in 1985. Since human beings have almost all genetic material in common with each other, genetic fingerprinting exploits highly variable repeating sequences called minisatellites. Two unrelated humans will be unlikely to have different numbers of minisatellites at a given locus.
At present, DNA typing can be (to some extent) automated, but it is too time-consuming to provide a good access-control technology as shown in the film.
Compare to automated blood test from Caves of Steel (1953) by Isaac Asimov.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Gattaca
More Ideas
and Technology by Andrew Niccol
Tech news articles related to Gattaca
Tech news articles related to works by Andrew Niccol
Automated DNA Typing-related
news articles:
- DNA Fingerprint Database For Workers Gattaca-Style Proposed
- Gattaca-Style DNA Databank For 3 Million Americans
- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Passed
- Spartan DX Real-Time DNA Check
- Eyedox Genetic Test To Exclude Color Blind
- Boy Banned From School For Bad Genes
- Court OK's DNA Collection Like 'Gattaca'
- Kuwait Creates Mandatory DNA Database For Citizens
- Is Genetic Testing At Businesses A Bad Idea?
- Should You Submit Your DNA To A Database?
| Health Kiosk Has No Human Doctor |
| NEO Brain Computer Interface (BCI) |
| MIT Computerized Bionic Leg Is Part Of The User |
| Bone-Building Drug Evenity Approved |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'Why, a clockwork dancer, or, better still, one that would go by electricity and never run down...'
'Maybe the individual intelligence of each Cubic pools into a group intelligence...'
'Looks like she has bought the Avatar Construction Set and put together her own...'
'Across the ground something small and metallic came, flashing in the dull sunlight of midday.'
'A broken circle with arrows pointing to a right-hand flow appeared in the chalf.'
'The object seemed melted together like wax — nothing was distinguishable.'
