Leicester invented the genetic fingerprint at 9.05am
- DNA fingerprinting, 1984
- Alec Jeffreys
- It changed criminal justice worldwide
- An accident with an X-ray film
How Leicester grew
The short version, in order. Pick a year.
The first genetic fingerprint
At 9.05 on the morning of 10 September, in the genetics department at the University of Leicester, Alec Jeffreys developed an X-ray film and found himself looking at the first genetic fingerprint. It was largely an accident.
A discovery made at five past nine in the morning
At 9.05 on the morning of 10 September 1984, in the genetics department at the University of Leicester, Alec Jeffreys developed an X-ray film and found himself looking at the first genetic fingerprint. The discovery was largely an accident; the consequences were not.
Within a few years it had changed criminal justice, immigration cases and paternity disputes across the world. Jeffreys had turned a biological sample into something a database could hold and compare — an identifier, unique to a person, that could be filed and searched.
Almost everything we now argue about regarding identity and data traces back to that idea being made practical, and it was made practical here.
What that means if you trade in Leicester
Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in the country, and its business landscape reflects it: a dense mix of independents serving communities that know each other well and buy on recommendation.
That makes reputation the main currency and the website its supporting evidence. It also means a site that only speaks to one part of the city is leaving a lot of it out.
What Leicester businesses ask us for
Be findable by name
Recommendations here travel by word of mouth. Make sure searching your business name lands on you, not a directory.
Say who you serve
A city this varied rewards specificity. Languages spoken, communities served, areas covered.
Publish the price
A competitive independent market punishes vagueness quickly.
How well do you know Leicester?
Five quick questions. Get all five right and you win a 10% off discount code for your website. Every answer is somewhere on this page, so have a read if you get stuck.
Leicester quiz · 1 of 5
What was discovered at the University of Leicester in 1984?
Common questions
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