3D-printed ‘ghost guns’ are not as untraceable as criminals think - new study
The Conversation • • world
Key Points:
- 3D-printed guns, often called "ghost guns," pose a growing public safety threat due to their easy accessibility via online blueprints and inexpensive 3D printers, enabling unlicensed firearm production.
- A new study published in Forensic Chemistry reveals that chemical analysis of 3D-printing filaments—materials used to make these guns—can identify unique chemical signatures, potentially linking seized firearms to their sources.
- Researchers analyzed over 60 filaments from the Australian market using infrared spectroscopy, finding that different polymers and additives create distinct chemical profiles that can differentiate filaments even if they appear identical.
- This chemical fingerprinting could help law enforcement trace the supply chains of 3D-printed guns and disrupt their production, addressing the current
