Diamonds may be forever, but what's more unique and rare than even the most precious stones on Earth? The code of life, said Swiss chemist Robert Grass, the mastermind behind Identity Inside, a project that aims to create ultrapersonalized jewelry embedded with a loved one's DNA.
The inspiration behind the custom-made baubles came from Grass' professional work to develop technology to stabilize and store DNA. First, the purchaser needs to collect saliva samples (with a cotton swab on the inside of his or her cheek). This is then sent to Grass' lab in Switzerland, where the sample is processed and DNA is extracted and purified. The scientists add chemicals to the liquid solution containing the DNA to promote the growth of glass that "fossilizes" and encapsulates the DNA at room temperature.
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