Urine in Your Fingerprints?
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Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen Aug 7, 2007 |
A new chemical imaging fingerprinting technique using gel tapes, microscopes and infrared array detectors can provide all sorts of information about people who leave prints behind (we'll call them criminals since they're why fingerprints are usually analyzed).
Scientists from London's Imperial College have devised a fingerprinting technique that reveals whether a criminal is male or female. High levels of urea in the print indicates it's a male; smaller levels show it's a female. (Aren't you guys washing your hands after washroom visits?)
Amino acids could reveal whether the criminal is a meat-eater or a vegetarian. These chemical images can also offer information about gunpowder, drugs, or chemical weapons. Since fingerprints change over time, these gels strips can also reveal how old a crime scene is and whether arson was involved (for cases in which that's not immediately obvious!).
Convential fingerprinting techniques distort information -- but these gel strips are a simple, effective way to reveal a great deal about the criminal.
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Source: Science Daily