Ask HN: Software with biggest potential for positive impact in 5 years?

Two problems.

1. DNA sequencing, now is two part process (I simplify a lot, sure) - at first stage, target DNA divided for small pieces, and those pieces sequenced to digital codes and saved to database. Than in second part, computer cluster works few months, to connect those pieces to one chain. And this is very expensive process even considering few gigabytes storage to store all these data for few months.

The problem is that currently used algorithms are very naive, even in some projects used Perl implementation, not C or some other fast language. So exist opportunity, to create new special algorithm/software, or may be also some hardware support, so this will be at least 5 times faster, and if costs will drop under 100$ for one human DNA, this will lead to very new type of medicine - genetic checks of everything.

2. connected to 1st problem - find protein folding structures from DNA, and how they interact with other proteins, with drugs and with chemical molecules. As I know, this now solved in similar way as 1st problem, but in partially 3d space - programs try to calculate some positions, in which parts of structures are attracted to each other and calculate power of attraction. This way for example, calculated probability of drugs, which will attract to spike protein of Covid and neutralize it. Also this way calculated effects of new drugs, like interaction with proteins in human organism, etc.

In ideal world, possible, that for example for cancer, 1st will create fast DNA of cancer cells of some human, and 2nd will create DNA code of artificial protein, which will be printed on DNA-printer and inhibit cancer, but will not affect normal cells, and all this will be done in just few weeks.

For instance, software for implementing national ID systems, so people can submit their taxes, get health care, etc. and that banks and similar requirements for know you customer (anti money laundering) can tap into.

Or cheaper payment systems, like VISA/Mastercard, but in an open system with more operators, perhaps even national.

I think this is fruitful area because governments, like big corporations, struggle with developing effective software and they struggle with cooperation. You could make a real impact on millions of people.

You need to be able to navigate the politics, though.

Protein sequencing is not so easy... very basically you can do it one amino acid at a time based on the fact that amino acids are "sided", meaning side A of each can only connect to side B of the next one. So you attach the end of the protein to some kind of substrate (which can only attach "A" sides), then cut off each amino acid one at a time.

There are some companies in this space:

https://www.quantum-si.com/

Move armed conflicts to virtual ;)

Something like idea of Mortal Combat movie.