NFTs have taken over the world with their ever-growing popularity, but could they do it in other ways soon? We don’t know, but we do know that at least one NFT contains the chemical building blocks of life.
Crypto user Cybex_Dreamer is selling their personal genome as an NFT on the OpenSea digital marketplace. Each of the NFTs contains one-third of their complete DNA sequence, based on the identifier, chromosome number, base pair position, and genotype, reveals CoinTelegraph.com.
A small sample of the user’s genetic code indicates the data is “intended for genealogical research only.” The bidding for the first NFT starts at one Ether, which is about $2,463. Currently, nobody has made any offers for the DNA, with less than a day remaining until the auction of the first NFT is declared finished.
This may be the first time or one of the few times in which a person has their DNA sequenced and minted on the blockchain. But GenoBank.io has revealed that it is planning to let its customers create a biological NFT as a way for people to maintain some ownership of their DNA.
In a country like the US, the privacy problems around DNA are rather controversial, and the court of law doesn’t do much to define them.
The crypto user didn’t claim they were trying to push any sort of ethical or legal boundaries by letting a complete stranger own a copy of their DNA. However, we have to keep in mind, that someone may now get information on their ancestry, predispositions to genetic disorders, and could also commit identity theft. So, is this such a good idea?