DNA sucked into air filters can reveal what plants and animals are nearby
Associated Press
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This photo provided by the National Physical Laboratory in June 2023 shows air sampling filters stationed at the Auchencorth Moss research facility in Scotland. In a study published Monday, May 5, 2023, in the journal Current Biology, researchers found that air quality monitoring stations which pull in air to test for pollution also pick up lots of DNA that can identify local wildlife. The method could help solve the tricky challenge of keeping tabs on biodiversity. (National Physical Laboratory via AP)This photo provided by the National Physical Laboratory in June 2023 shows air sampling filters stationed outside the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, England. In a study published Monday, May 5, 2023, in the journal Current Biology, researchers found that air quality monitoring stations which pull in air to test for pollution also pick up lots of DNA that can identify local wildlife. The method could help solve the tricky challenge of keeping tabs on biodiversity. (James Allerton/National Physical Laboratory via AP)
This photo provided by the National Physical Laboratory in June 2023 shows air sampling filters stationed at the Auchencorth Moss research facility in Scotland. In a study published Monday, May 5, 2023, in the journal Current Biology, researchers found that air quality monitoring stations which pull in air to test for pollution also pick up lots of DNA that can identify local wildlife. The method could help solve the tricky challenge of keeping tabs on biodiversity. (National Physical Laboratory via AP)
