Next-generation sequencing technologies such as pyrosequencing sequence less than 250 bases in a read which limits their ability to sequence whole genomes.

In 1995, a consortium, the malaria genome project (MGP), was set up to sequence the genome of P. falciparum.

"We formed 454 to sequence genomes economically, so it doesn't change our mission," Dr. Rothberg said.

But at this point, geneticists cannot sequence individual genomes in a cost-effective way.

In 1999, Rothberg founded 454 Life Sciences, based in Branford (CT), which pioneered an entirely new way to sequence genomes.

More recently, his laboratory was the first to sequence the genome of a cancer patient and discover genetic signatures relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease.

During the last few years, we have seen enormous strides in our abilities to sequence genomes, and the information that has poured out of these sequences is quite astonishing.

Fossils have become unnecessary to the argument: since we've learned to sequence whole genomes, we've had far more powerful ways to examine the past.

This has been vital in allowing researchers to sequence numerous genomes for study.

Combining the powerful equipment with an army of robots and vast amounts of computing power makes it practical and cost-effective to sequence whole genomes, Dr. Venter said.