Genome sequencing is a scientific procedure focused on figuring-out all the combinations of letters from the chemical alphabet soup that make up life. DNA is represented by a string of letters--A, C, G, T--which represent the four chemical building blocks of life. Genome sequencing basically involves figuring-out the sequence of this series of letters as the first step to understand how any species ticks. Because available technology can only sequence short stretches of DNA at a time, scientists have to break a genome down into small pieces. Think of it metaphorically as measuring a 1,000 mile train track by breaking the tracks one at a time iinto 20 foot segments. The Human Genome Project, which mapped out our human genetic blueprint, took 13 years.