DNA from thin air: a new way to detect rare wildlife in hostile environments

Discovery that traces of genetic material are all around us opens a non-invasive way to boost biodiversity

DNA is in the air - literally. It is wafted around by all the Earth's creatures, and now scientists have found a way to detect these invisible traces of genetic material so they can identify the animals that released them.

The discovery - made independently by British and Danish research groups earlier this year - opens up a powerful way to pinpoint the presence of rare wildlife in deserts, rainforests and other hostile environments.