Scientists from Lund University in Sweden have developed an AI tool that can track where you’ve been based on the bacteria you carry. Instead of guiding you to a destination like a GPS, this tool identifies the locations your microorganisms came from.
The tool, called Microbiome Geographic Population Structure (mGPS), uses advanced AI to match bacteria to specific cities, countries, and even bodies of water. For example, it can tell if you recently visited a beach, walked through a forest, or used public transportation.
Microorganisms, such as bacteria, are tiny living things that we can’t see with the naked eye. When you touch a handrail or walk on soil, you pick up bacteria unique to those places. These bacteria act like “fingerprints,” helping researchers trace your steps.
By analyzing over 4,000 samples from public transport in 53 cities, 237 soil samples from 18 countries, and 131 marine samples from nine water bodies, the researchers achieved impressive accuracy. They pinpointed city sources for 92% of the samples and even distinguished between bacteria from locations just one meter apart in New York City.
Lead researcher Eran Elhaik says this tool has potential uses in medicine, forensics, and disease tracking. “This technology could help trace the spread of diseases, identify infection sources, and even assist in solving crimes,” he explained.
In the future, the team plans to expand their work to map the microbiomes of entire cities, opening new doors for science and forensics. This research marks the beginning of a deeper understanding of how bacteria connect us to the environments we interact with every day.
Source: ana
