Scientists have found high-quality DNA from footprints left by a researcher on an uninhabited island. Researchers report that the field of environmental DNA (eDNA) is advancing rapidly, yet its applications are still underutilized.
The adoption of large-scale environmental DNA analysis will lead to many benefits in pathogen surveillance, biodiversity monitoring, endangered species discovery, and population genetics.Given the ease of obtaining samples and accurately identifying individuals, the researchers point out that strict ethical controls should be established for this type of research.