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Is it possible to get someone's DNA off of a book if they handled it at some point?

Kristin Bell asked in Other - Science & Tech. 8 months ago | Report

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  • Qlandav2ex_small
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    What you are talking about, I believe, is referred to as contact DNA. This is becoming more feasible, with the tests becoming more sensitive and smaller samples being required. Of course, there would have to be skin cells or some nuclear material left behind. Also if the object was handled by other people you would have contamination from other DNA being present. Objects like cigarettes and soda cans that are touched by the mouth are more likely to have the DNA of only one person. Plus we shed whole cells more often and reliably by our lips and the soft mucousal tissues of the mouth.

    Russ Campbell, NWEBS answered in Other - Science & Tech. 8 months ago | Report
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  • Picture_115_small
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    Sure, if you could find some stray hair or skin or blood or phlegm stuck in the pages.

    However, this would probably not be very high quality DNA and so I'm guessing recovery would be rare.

    Arsenic7 answered in Other - Science & Tech. 8 months ago | Report
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  • Spaceship_small
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    Only if they licked it... or licked their thumb before turning every page.

    O my captain answered in Other - Science & Tech. 8 months ago | Report
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