Device detects nanogram-sized explosives

October 2, 2005

U.S. researchers have developed a prototype of a tool that can fight terrorism by detecting nanogram-sized samples of explosives.

R. Graham Cooks, who leads a research team at Purdue University, says he thinks a portable tool based on the technology used in the prototype could prove valuable for security in public places worldwide.

"In the amount of time it requires to take a breath, this technology can sniff the surface of a piece of luggage and determine whether a hazardous substance is likely to be inside, based on residual chemicals brushed from the hand of someone loading the suitcase," said Cooks.

"We think it could be useful in screening suspect packages in airports, train stations and other places where there have been problems in the past," he said. "Because the technology works on other surfaces, such as skin and clothing, as well, it also could help determine whether an individual has been involved in the handling of these chemicals."

Copyright 2005 by United Press International


Rank not rated yet
Tags

Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

First Google hire leaving for online academy

The first person hired by Google's founders is leaving the Internet giant to devote himself to an innovative online education website called Khan Academy.

Technology / Internet

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

FBI file: Steve Jobs was considered for govt post

(AP) -- FBI background interviews of some people who knew Apple co-founder Steve Jobs reveal a man driven by power and alienating some of the people who worked with him.

Technology / Business

created 3 hours ago | popularity 3 / 5 (4) | comments 0

NY attorney general ends lawsuit against Intel

(AP) -- Intel Corp. is paying $6.5 million as part of a deal to terminate an antitrust lawsuit filed against the chip maker by the New York attorney general's office.

Technology / Business

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

New integrated building model may improve fish farming operations

Today's "locavore" movement with its emphasis on eating more locally-produced food is a natural fit for fruits and vegetables in nearly every region, but few entrepreneurs have dared to apply the concept to ...

Technology / Engineering

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

LinkedIn's 4Q earnings strong, revenue doubles

(AP) -- LinkedIn reported a strong fourth quarter as the online professional-networking service added 14 million members. Its net income and revenue beat Wall Street's expectations.

Technology / Business

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


'Dark plasmons' transmit energy

Microscopic channels of gold nanoparticles have the ability to transmit electromagnetic energy that starts as light and propagates via "dark plasmons," according to researchers at Rice University.

Ultraviolet protection molecule in plants yields its secrets

Lying around in the sun all day is hazardous not just for humans but also for plants, which have no means of escape. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can damage proteins and DNA inside cells, leading ...

Hydrogen from acidic water: Researchers develop potential low cost alternative to platinum for splitting water

A technique for creating a new molecule that structurally and chemically replicates the active part of the widely used industrial catalyst molybdenite has been developed by researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley ...

Anyone can learn to be more inventive, cognitive researcher says

There will always be a wild and unpredictable quality to creativity and invention, says Anthony McCaffrey, a cognitive psychology researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, because an "Aha moment" is rare and ...

FDA-approved drug rapidly clears amyloid from the brain, reverses Alzheimer's symptoms in mice

Neuroscientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have made a dramatic breakthrough in their efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The researchers' findings, published in the journal Science, show t ...

New method makes culture of complex tissue possible in any lab

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed a new method for making scaffolds for culturing tissue in three-dimensional arrangements that mimic those in the body. This advance, published online in ...