Many hospitals and medical practices are shifting from paper to computers, as they convert to electronic medical records. While the technology has been touted mainly as a way to cut costs and improve medical care, it turns out it has an unexpected side benefit: scientists can probe electronic medical records to find hidden connections between genes and diseases. This week in my “Matter” column for the New York Times, I look at this new tool for exploring to our DNA.

(Some readers have asked me about the issue of privacy and consent. When it comes to electronic medical records, these are very important issues–as illustrated by the shocking case of a Canadian woman who was barred by U.S. Homeland