Nanopore sequencing is based on ion current changes that are generated by DNA passing through a genetically modified bacterial pore. Traditionally, this technique suffers from imprecision in identifying individual nucleotides, as four nucleotides pass through the pore at once. In a new study, researchers characterized the electronic signature of all 256 possible 4-nucleotide combinations and generated algorithms to interpret these signatures. Using this method, they accurately sequenced the genome of the bacteriophage ΦX174 and generated reads as long as 4,500 bases. These advances are a substantial step forward in improving this inexpensive and potentially more rapid alternative to next-generation sequencing technologies.