Fingerprints glow for months with this new chemical

A new chemical agent reveals hidden fingerprints with a fluorescent glow that lasts for months, a new study published in Analytical Chemistry concludes. The new substance may help forensic investigators identify prints on plastic and metal surfaces, which glow naturally under ultraviolet light and can obscure fingerprints, Chemical & Engineering News reports. What’s more, the new material makes crisper images of fingerprints than traditional fingerprinting powders. That makes the advance valuable for medical diagnostics, the researchers say, because clean resolution of fingerprint furrows and ridges can provide information about a patient’s metabolism.

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