New Gelatin Trick Helps Detect Explosives Better

Forensic investigators have a tough job. They need to find tiny bits of explosives left after a blast. This helps them figure out what happened and who did it. But old ways of collecting these bits, like using cotton swabs or special liquids, don't always work well. They miss a lot of evidence, especially on rough or dirty surfaces. Scientists think they have a better idea. They made a special gel from gelatin, the stuff used in desserts. This gel can stick to different surfaces and pick up more explosive bits. They tested it on ten different materials, like metal, plastic, and wood. The gel did a great job on smooth surfaces, picking up 80-95% of the explosive bits. On rough surfaces, it still did well, getting 60-70%.The scientists used a special machine to check the gel. It showed that the gel could find even tiny amounts of explosives. The gel is also cheap, costing only 50 cents per sample. This is much cheaper than the usual swabs, which cost about 2 dollars each. The gel might be useful in many places. It could help in crime scenes, environmental checks, and security. But more tests are needed to see if it works as well in real-life situations. If it does, it could be a big help for investigators.