Backscatter Diffraction Uncovers Removed Serial Numbers
Crooks trying to hide their crimes or identities by filing the telltale serial numbers and markings from firearms, cars, or bullet casings could soon have a new forensic technique to worry about: backscatter diffraction. Engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a way to use this technique to read the imprint of letters and markings that were stamped into metal, but then polished or ground off.