...making Linux just a little more fun!
Jimmy O'Regan [joregan at gmail.com]
http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/2223205&from=rss Identifying People By Odor As Effective As Fingerprinting
'A study has found that everybody has a unique body odor, like their fingerprints, that could be used as an unique identifier. The study showed that a persons unique odor stayed the same even if they varied their diet with strong smelling foods such as garlic and spices. "These findings indicate that biologically-based odorprints, like fingerprints, could be a reliable way to identify individuals," said Monell chemist Jae Kwak. I would have thought that hundreds of years of dogs tracking people would have proved this, but it's nice to know that science has figured it out officially now.'
Chris Bannister [mockingbird at earthlight.co.nz]
On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 09:04:13AM +0000, Jimmy O'Regan wrote:
> http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/2223205&from=rss > Identifying People By Odor As Effective As Fingerprinting > > 'A study has found that everybody has a unique body odor, like their > fingerprints, that could be used as an unique identifier. The study > showed that a persons unique odor stayed the same even if they varied > their diet with strong smelling foods such as garlic and spices. > "These findings indicate that biologically-based odorprints, like > fingerprints, could be a reliable way to identify individuals," said > Monell chemist Jae Kwak. I would have thought that hundreds of years > of dogs tracking people would have proved this, but it's nice to know > that science has figured it out officially now.'
Having some item of clothing stolen would be preferable to losing a
finger. 
--
Chris.
======
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god
than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other
possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
-- Stephen F Roberts
Ben Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 03:15:42AM +1300, Chris Bannister wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 09:04:13AM +0000, Jimmy O'Regan wrote: > > http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/2223205&from=rss > > Identifying People By Odor As Effective As Fingerprinting > > > > 'A study has found that everybody has a unique body odor, like their > > fingerprints, that could be used as an unique identifier. The study > > showed that a persons unique odor stayed the same even if they varied > > their diet with strong smelling foods such as garlic and spices. > > "These findings indicate that biologically-based odorprints, like > > fingerprints, could be a reliable way to identify individuals," said > > Monell chemist Jae Kwak. I would have thought that hundreds of years > > of dogs tracking people would have proved this, but it's nice to know > > that science has figured it out officially now.' > > Having some item of clothing stolen would be preferable to losing a > finger.
Not to get too graphic, but depending on which part of the body is being
smelled... there are far more horrible body parts to lose than fingers.
Besides, this thing would discriminate (erm, wouldn't
discriminate?) against cannibals. Poor, poor little cannibals... ))
-- * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *
Kat Tanaka Okopnik [kat at linuxgazette.net]
On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:10:24PM -0500, Benjamin A. Okopnik wrote:
> On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 03:15:42AM +1300, Chris Bannister wrote: > > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 09:04:13AM +0000, Jimmy O'Regan wrote: > > > http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/2223205&from=rss > > > Identifying People By Odor As Effective As Fingerprinting > > > > > > 'A study has found that everybody has a unique body odor, like their > > > fingerprints, that could be used as an unique identifier. The study > > > showed that a persons unique odor stayed the same even if they varied > > > their diet with strong smelling foods such as garlic and spices. > > > "These findings indicate that biologically-based odorprints, like > > > fingerprints, could be a reliable way to identify individuals," said > > > Monell chemist Jae Kwak. I would have thought that hundreds of years > > > of dogs tracking people would have proved this, but it's nice to know > > > that science has figured it out officially now.' > > > > Having some item of clothing stolen would be preferable to losing a > > finger.
Clearly I'm stuck at a mental age of 6. I'm hearing "smell my finger!"
-- Kat Tanaka Okopnik Linux Gazette Mailbag Editor kat@linuxgazette.net
Nicodemo Alvaro [nicodemo.alvaro at gmail.com]
[[[ Lots of extraneous quoting trimmed out. -- Kat ]]]
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8:00 PM, <tag-request@lists.linuxgazette.net> wrote:
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Ben Okopnik <ben@linuxgazette.net> > To: tag@lists.linuxgazette.net > Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:10:24 -0500 > Subject: Re: [TAG] Latest in biometrics... > On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 03:15:42AM +1300, Chris Bannister wrote: >> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 09:04:13AM +0000, Jimmy O'Regan wrote: >> > http://idle.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/2223205&from=rss >> > Identifying People By Odor As Effective As Fingerprinting >> > >> > 'A study has found that everybody has a unique body odor, like their >> > fingerprints, that could be used as an unique identifier. The study >> > showed that a persons unique odor stayed the same even if they varied >> > their diet with strong smelling foods such as garlic and spices. >> > "These findings indicate that biologically-based odorprints, like >> > fingerprints, could be a reliable way to identify individuals," said >> > Monell chemist Jae Kwak. I would have thought that hundreds of years >> > of dogs tracking people would have proved this, but it's nice to know >> > that science has figured it out officially now.' >> >> Having some item of clothing stolen would be preferable to losing a >> finger.
No, because if you have the wrong smell and try to go past the security gate the floor will drop you to the cannibals waiting for fresh meat.
Ben Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]
[ Hi, Nicodemo - welcome to the list. Please, whenever you follow up to a post, trim it to exclude the irrelevant content; also, since you're using digest mode, please make sure that you edit the subject line to reflect the thread you're replying to. Our Mailbag Editor would be grateful, since not doing so will break the threading. ]
On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 08:49:55PM +0000, Nicodemo Alvaro wrote:
> Ben Okopnik wrote: > > > > Not to get too graphic, but depending on which part of the body is being > > smelled... there are far more horrible body parts to lose than fingers. > >
Ah. So we can use the system to get rid of people we don't like by just surreptitiously spritzing them with someone else's body odor?
Perhaps I've been reading Bruce Schneier for too long.
-- * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *