Could the human microbiota be the new digital fingerprint?

Each person harbours billions of bacteria in their body. In fact, an estimated 1-2 kg of our body weight is said to be made up of these organisms. In the last few years, researchers have shown that these bacteria could represent ID tags, just like a fingerprint.

In today’s world of tech crime when security systems based on digital or retinal imprints are easier and easier to fool, a new ID method is an increasingly sought after invention – so what about our microbiota?

There are actually as many microbiota as there are people on the planet. According to researchers from Harvard’s public health faculty, the chances someone could be positively identified by their microbiota is extremely high. This personal constellation of bacteria could also help reveal a family link or determine the identity of someone who entered a room up to one hour after they left!

This promising research still needs to be developed further, however, before we can expect applications, as some issues remain. For example, the microbiota can actually evolve subtly due to certain factors, one of which is age.