The following is an edited excerpt.
For years banks have rigged bags of money with exploding dye packs, which show the cash was stolen and mark the thief. Now DNA can do the same job — without the suspect being aware of it.
This isn’t using the criminal’s own DNA to track him or her — it’s engineered, artificial gene sequences that act like bar codes.
The latest version of the technology comes from Stony Brook, N.Y.-based Applied DNA Sciences. It’s called “DNA Fog.” The device fills a room with smoke to confuse an intruder. The smoke isn’t just to make it hard for the person to see; it also contains droplets loaded with DNA. If the person escapes, they are still covered with it, and it’s invisible.
Read the full story here: DNA ‘Fog’ Marks Criminals Invisibly for Later ID
