Hélène Morlon and Anna Papadopoulou: How we can detect pretty much anything

How we can detect pretty much anything

Scientists have been staking out a forest in Montana for an animal that's notoriously tricky to find. Camera traps haven't offered definitive evidence, and experts can't identify its tracks with certainty. But within the past decades, researchers have developed methods that can detect even the most elusive species. So how does it work? Hélène Morlon & Anna Papadopoulou dig into DNA metabarcoding. [Directed by Blok Magnaye, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by Cem Misirlioglu and Alex Chumak].

By decoding traces of DNA left behind in the environment, scientists can detect elusive animals, monitor ecosystems, and even uncover stories from the distant past. In Montana, researchers confirmed the presence of the Canada lynx without ever spotting the animal, simply by analyzing snow tracks. This method, known as DNA metabarcoding, lets scientists swiftly identify thousands of species from a single sample. As climate change accelerates, these techniques offer a powerful way to track rapid shifts in global biodiversity.