Best Inventions of 2008
From a genetic testing service to an invisibility cloak to an ingenious public bike system to the world's first moving skyscraper — here are TIME's picks for the top innovations of 2008
39. Enhanced Fingerprints
English physicist John Bond developed a technique for analyzing fingerprints on a gun after it's been wiped clean. Sweat corrodes metal, so Bond applied an electrical charge and a fine carbon powder to a gun's corroded part, revealing a fingerprint pattern. Police are already using the four-month-old technology to reopen some cases.
View the full list for "Best Inventions of 2008"Special Features:
Around the Web
-
Anne Burrell Comes Out: Food Network Star Confirms She's A Lesbian
From THE HUFFINGTON POST
-
John Edwards Trial Juror Flirting With Ex-Senator
From THE HUFFINGTON POST
-
Tide Redesigning Box After Kids Mistake Detergent For Candy
From SLATE
-
Islamist Leader Likely To Face Former PM in Egyptian Runoff
From SLATE
