Sniffer dogs(嗅探犬) may lose their jobs. Detectors(探测器) that can identify(确认) people by smell may replace them in the near future.
The Pentagon(五角大楼，美国国防部办公大楼) in the US wants to create a detector that could identify people by their unique odour(独特的气味). It's offering US$3.2 million next year to find out if it's possible. Researchers have shown that mice release a urinary(尿液的) odour that is genetically(遗传地) unique, the Pentagon said. So if it's possible to detect an individual(单独的) mouse, why not a human by the smell of his or her urine or sweat? If scientists can prove that it works within two and a half years, the Pentagon wants to build a model within six years, spokeswoman Jan Walker said. Usually, when researchers and police want to identify DNA, they need to take samples(样品) from the human body into lab. However, such a detector would allow researchers or police to measure and collect characteristic(特征) of the human body without urine or skin tests, Walker said. Some scientists warn that such a detector—if it were ever built—might be confused by many changing odours that people give off. "It would be like trying to detect an individual's fingerprints through a pair of gloves," said Steven Aftergood, one of the scientists. The smeller isn't Pentagon's first attempt at a man-made nose. They worked on sensors(感应器) to detect the TNT(黄色炸药) in buried land mines without risking the lives of sniffer dogs. (306词) |
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