The current generation of high-throughput genetic and genomic platforms, has had a great impact on biomedical research, and given new impetus to studies of molecular mechanisms of genetic disease, and to systems biology. The next big technological step forward is the advent of cheap, fast, sequencing platforms that will allow near-complete genome sequences to be quickly and affordably obtained from individual members of any species. Individual genomes from humans, their pathogens and model organisms will have an enormous impact on population genetics and evolutionary theory, as well as on...