Do this spit take - for science

Scientists at UCLA, led by Dr. David Wong, have decoded the "alphabet" of saliva in a way that allows it to replace invasive bloodwork to test for conditions ranging from cancer to osteoporosis. They have catalogued the entire proteome, the 1,500 proteins contained in saliva, as well as its genome, containing 1.4 million bits of genetic information. Since changes in the body are often mirrored in saliva, a simple spit sample will shortly be enough to allow your doctor to discern whether or not you are indeed eating your greens. [GT]

Saliva a new tool in disease detection