Not yet, but it will be in the near future, according to a team of researchers from the University of Illinois (USA). These experts point out that our microorganisms form a unique set in each individual, that is, a kind of microbial signature that could be analyzed, more or less like fingerprints.
After examining certain objects, such as telephones and shoes, the scientists found that this signature had been transferred to them – it is estimated that we emit 36 million microbial cells every hour. In essence, it would be possible to recognize the person from whom it comes from the study of different biomarkers of their microbiome.
There is still much left to do
So far, the theory, because the researchers warn that there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, it is unknown how long these bacterial remains remain at the crime scene without being corrupted ; Also, if the aforementioned signature is stable or varies according to temperature or food. For now, DNA will remain the queen of forensic evidence.
