Odor: A Unique Human Trait Used in Modern Criminal Investigations
On March 13, a reporter from the Nanjing Daily visited the Nanjing Police Dog Institute, a branch of the Ministry of Public Security, to explore China’s first “human odor bank.”
The secure door was tightly closed, with special personnel standing guard outside. Upon entering, the reporter found a small, dimly lit room with covered windows. A row of refrigerators lined the walls of the room. Glass containers of various sizes, sealed with lids and labeled on the outside, were visible inside the refrigerators. Some boxes contained a swab or activated carbon, a shoe, or a piece of clothing fabric.
Song Zhenhua, the director and research assistant at the research office of the Nanjing Police Dog Institute, initiated this “human odor bank.” Song explained that there are two types of odors in the bank – “the odors of criminals,” collected from individuals with criminal records, and “odors left at the crime scene.” The bank currently holds approximately 500 odor samples.
Song stated: “Human odor is determined by genetic factors, and its key elements will not change due to the surrounding environment and the individual’s diet. Every person emits a unique odor into their surroundings at any time. Like fingerprints, odor signifies each person and serves as a key characteristic to distinguish one individual from another.”
Ultimately, according to Song, human odor provides significant benefits in criminal investigations. Regardless of how cunningly criminals attempt to disguise their scent, they cannot eliminate the odor they leave behind. Therefore, police can identify suspects by collecting the odors they leave and comparing them with samples in the “human odor bank.”
KHÁNH NHẬT
