Chemical traces yield ‘lifestyle sketches’

People leave chemical traces wherever they go, especially when they touch or handle objects. Those chemicals can come from a variety of sources, including personal care products, food, or medications. A chemical analysis of those traces can be used to draw a “lifestyle sketch” of the person who left them behind.

A team led by Pieter C. Dorrestein and Amina Bouslimani of the University of California, San Diego, has shown they can . . .