This Dating App Will Screen Users's Genes To Find A Match

Harvard has a big ambition for its genetic research, from resurrecting the long-extinct mammoth to reversing the aging process in humans. Along the way, they can also create something as intriguing as a dating app that works based on users’ genes. What it aims at is to match people so that they have the least chance of passing genetic diseases to their children.

We humans have dominant and recessive genes. Several genetic conditions and diseases are the direct effect of recessive genes without dominant counterparts to overshadow them.

If a person having disease-causing recessive genes has a partner that also carries the same genes, their children have 25% more chance of suffering from the disease. This is what Harvard and their dating app hope to help people avoid.

In essence, users of the app need to have their genomes sequenced in order to take full advantage of its benefits. However, that future is still far-fetched as the number of people who qualify that requirement is still very small.

And for our current society, the idea of choosing a partner based on their genes still sound ridiculous. Even if the two people carry the same recessive gene that can cause a genetic disease, they still have chances of having healthy offspring. And love is still the main reason why people want to get married or have children.

This app might not stand a chance of being the main reason for people to choose certain partners, but it can be one of the criteria, alongside appearance, location, and several others. Who knows, we may have healthier generations someday when apps like Tinder add genes to their systems.