Scientists pick sex and eating habits from a drop of sweat and fingerprint

Scientists at Imperial College London have shown that fingerprints contain vital information about a person's habits.

From analysing the layer of sweat and grease left behind when someone touches a surface, they can tell whether the hand in question belonged to a man or a woman.



The chemical pattern can also provide clues about a person's eating habits, with the proteins present, for instance, giving a pointer as to whether they are vegetarian.

With the analysis carried out on lab equipment that is already available, the scientists behind the technique believe it could be ready for use at crime scenes in as little as a year.