Amateur detectives can now get “the DNA-copying power of a professional lab” in a “gadget the size of a coffeemaker.” The OpenPCR box replicates small samples of DNA until there are billions of molecules to work with, effectively allowing you “to identify the mold on that leftover pizza or do a very discreet paternity test.” Just place your sample into a tube with some PCR mix, drop the tube into a slot, and after “a few hours of heating and cooling cycles,” the sample is ready to be analyzed. The process can easily be controlled with a PC or Mac.
$599, openpcr.org
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.