DNA fingerprint within a fingerprint
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Forensic scientists have discovered how to find a genetic fingerprint in a fingerprint, providing a vital new source of criminal evidence. Minute traces of DNA, traceable to specific individuals, have been taken from objects touched by hands by researchers in Australia.
The technique developed at the Victoria Police forensic science centre not only detects the last person to handle an object, but earlier ones too. In fact, the strongest profile was not always found to be that of the last user.
The researchers carried out experiments that involved passing around a variety of objects including mugs, leather briefcases, pens, car keys and telephones.
They found that a person can be identified from as little as 1.1 billionths of a gram of deposited genetic material.
Writing in the science journal Nature, the researchers said: "Our methods have already been used at our laboratory to provide evidence in attempted murder, rape, armed robbery, extortion and drug-trafficking cases."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments