A forensic lab in Pennsylvania is using a new Vacuum Metal Deposition, which can reveal latent fingerprints on materials, according to a news report.
The machine works by depositing a thin layer of gold and zinc on the items under high-vacuum pressure. It can be used on paper money, plastic, fabric and most importantly, it does not destroy DNA.
The machine is said to be a "game changer" in fighting crimes, as fingerprints used to be impossible to lift.
Skip Ebert, District Attorney for the Cumberland County in Pa. used a pillowcase to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Vacuum Metal Deposition in a case, where the victim's face and the attacker's hands were visible.
