This article was first published in the March 2016 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
When it comes to buying and selling valuable art, falling for a forgery could prove costly. One solution? DNA.
Scientists at University at Albany at the State University of New York want to fight fakes by attaching synthetic DNA to artworks. Each i2M (intelligent integral mark) "sticker" contains a unique biological ID. Adhered to the canvas, it can be read and verified with a scanner, proving a work's authenticity.
Rather than use an artist's own biological material, the technique relies on encrypted synthetic DNA, explains Martin Tenniswood, Empire Innovation Program professor at University at Albany, and creator of the technology. "We asked some colleagues to break the encryption," he says "Nobody has been able to do it."
The project could solve a problem: not only is spotting fakes hard, but experts are increasingly reluctant to testify for fear of being sued. With $2 million (£1.3m) in funding from ARIS Title Insurance Corporation, the team is now working with artists and museums on trialling the system.
Although the DNA will eventually degrade, Tenniswood thinks that by the time that happens, the tags can be replaced or newer systems will have emerged. "This technology can work for 50 or even 100 years," he says.