The long arm of the law has the added advantage of technology working alongside them in order to uncover dastardly crimes that have been committed by nefarious minds (and hands). However, there are moments when even the law remains one step behind, and in this particular game of cat and mouse, perhaps the introduction of an invisible barcode might be able to work in the favor of the authorities as it can be used to track the likes of explosives, medicines and bank notes.
A team that hails from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the US discovered that selected nanoparticles do feature special characteristics that are able to mark different items, and this particular technique could then deliver a connection between the objects and their manufacturer, seller or buyer.
Also known as invisible barcodes, Dr. Ming Su, who is behind this research, shared, “Nanoparticles are so small, they can be put into any objects.” Such covert barcodes would definitely come in handy when fighting crime and help to reduce the incidences of counterfeiting. Dr. Su continued, “The nanoparticle does not participate in any chemical reaction, and it will not effect the function of the existing object. The only thing it will do is to provide a thermal signature.”
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