A simple hair analysis could provide vital information about the lifestyle of criminals and potentially solve crimes that happened thousands of years ago, according to forensic experts.
According to Seeker, a new method of forensic analysis of hair fibers could reveal personal traits of criminals such as their age, sex, and weight, as well as lifestyle factors such as diet, drug regimen, and exercise habits.
More importantly, hair strand analysis could help criminal investigations of pending murder cases.
Forensic hair analysis involves microscopic examination of various characteristics of hairs for suspect identification. It went out of fashion in previous years due to criticisms of its accuracy and reliability and with DNA testing becoming a more preferred standard in criminal cases.
A new hair testing technique, however, could bring it back to the courtroom, according to research presented by scientists at West Virginia University during the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.
"Depending on the question being asked, the chemical analysis of human hair can provide amazing insights into the life and lifestyle of a person," said Dr. Glen Jackson of West Virginia University, the lead scientist pioneering the new method. "Who you are, where you've been, what you eat, what drugs you take - it all shows up in your hair."
The research suggests the information which hair analysis could provide is far reaching compared to DNA testing which is only limited to identifying the genetic make-up of the person.
Seeker, however, clarified that the new method is meant to compliment DNA testing and not to replace it.
The new method involves chemical examination of the hair, focusing on amino acids found in keratin, the protein that is the primary material of human hair.
The Daily Mail explained that the new method would enable researchers to measure the ratio of isotopes with the 21 amino acids found in keratin. So far, scientists have identified 15 isotope ratio measurements that could give clues about a person's certain lifestyle habits
Moreover, the hair shaft could last for thousands of years in a dry environment, and this could enable experts to solve historic crimes.