Rain Valley-Red Snails: Homemade Fingerprint Powder

Have you ever wanted to be a forensic specialist and investigate a crime? As unfortunately as the world is, we can't get away from crime and heinous actions of others. With these crimes, forensic and crime scene investigators go to these crime scenes with a tool to find out if the criminal left any fingerprints that could link them back to their evil deeds. This tool is fingerprint powder. Although, the process to create fingerprint powder at home is a bit different than what is actually used, it still serves the same purpose in identifying fingerprints on objects. We recreated our own fingerprint powder and experimented on glasses to lift fingerprints off the surface. This simple fingerprint powder can be recreated at your own home and you can play around to see what surfaces you can lift fingerprints from and identify whose print is whose. Be careful, though, this powder will stain surfaces. Glass is a preferred surface.

Materials Needed:
1. Cornstarch
2. Measuring Cup
3. Candle
4. Porcelain dish or metal spoon
5. Knife
6. Small bowl
7. Small paint brush
8. Small funnel
9. Small jar with lid
10. Patience

Start by using a candle, bowl, and a metal spoon. Place the candle in the bowl and light. Using the flame of the candle (in a very well ventilated area, preferable outside), place the spoon over the flame and allow it to burn the back of the spoon. After a short time we will create soot on the back of the spoon. Scrap the soot off each time it's created. We will need about a tablespoon to 1/4 a cup of soot, so this takes some time. We did our collection over a period of several days.

Depending on how much soot you have created you need to mix the same amount of corn starch with the soot powder. So, say you have a tablespoon of soot, mix that soot with a tablespoon of corn starch.

Next, have friends or family to touch their forehead and then touch a glass surface. We used drinking glasses here, but you can also touch countertops, sliding glass doors, windows, and even plastic bottles, or soda cans. Just remember, whatever you use for your surface, make sure it's easy to clean up afterwards.

Once they place their fingers on the surface you can see the fingerprints, but only faintly.

Next step is to use your newly created fingerprint powder and using a soft paint brush, lightly brush the powder over the fingerprint. Be careful not to press too hard, or you will disturb the oils in the print. Once you lightly lay a layer over the print, tap the glass to remove the excess powder.

Next step is to use clear packing tape, of course any clear, wide tape would work, we just happened to have clear packing tape on hand. You want to use the tape and place it directly over your fingerprints. Be careful not to press down too hard as you could damage the print, but a light rubbing over the top of each one is going to help with the lifting process of the print with the fingerprint powder.

Next step is to lift the prints and place them onto white paper. We used small post-it notes to adhere our prints, but computer paper would work, too. Place your tape down on the paper and press lightly. Here you can view your prints without worrying about messing them up any further. If you did several people's prints, it's interesting to see the difference in each person's print. Make note of how different they are, and if these prints were to be gathered for criminal reasons, how would each person be able to be caught, or eliminated?

Be sure to save the rest of your fingerprint powder to use again in the future. We stored ours in a small corked glass jar along with the funnel and the soft paint brush. You can store yours in anything that seals and is able to be put away without spilling. Remember, this fingerprint powder has soot in it and will stain most surfaces.