Camera hack can spot cleaned-up crimes

Technology can help police find painted-over bloodstains

Spattered blood intentionally hidden under layers of paint can be detected with a standard digital camera that’s been tweaked to record infrared light. The approach could become an important tool for cold-case investigators sizing up an old crime scene.

Blood completely obscured by black paint (top row) is still visible when seen by an infrared camera (bottom row), even under increasing layers of paint (left to right).