Florida Police Used a Smidgen of DNA to try to Fully Reconstruct an Alleged Criminal's Face

Untitled Document

A genetics company called Parabon Nanolabs recently analyzed some remnants of DNA from a crime scene — not for fingerprints, but to create a digital likeness of the alleged criminal's face, Science News reported. 

Then, they sold the image to the police.

Using DNA to create images of stranger's faces

This isn't the first time the company has used genetic remnants to create images of stranger's faces.

Back in May, the same company teamed up with a Hong Kong ad agency to shame local litterbugs for polluting the streets.

Using the DNA left behind on gum and cigarettes, Parabon zeroed-in on genes that code for physical traits like hair and eye color. Then, they drafted computer-generated sketches of each polluter's face, printed them out on giant wanted posters, and pasted the sketches on billboards throughout the city.

The science of creating a face from scraps

Unbenownst to many, the science behind the idea — of using DNA to predict a face — has existed for years.

In 2012, New York City-based artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg used the same technology to make sculptures of complete strangers using only the tiny bits of DNA left on discarded cigarettes and chewing gum that...