Germs on smartphones can tell lots about human behavior - report

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) say that chemicals, molecules, and germs on smartphones can tell a lot about users' information on health and lifestyle. Such includes aspects like diet, medications, hygiene beauty products, general health, and places visited.

Researchers say that what's left behind on smartphones amounts to a personal "bacteria blueprint," which can tell a lot about human health. Study author Pieter Dorrestein said that the discovery could prove to be useful in a number of areas: medical clinical trials, criminal profiling, airport checking, making sure patients are taking medications and environmental exposure studies.

Dorrestein, a UCSD professor, said: "...just imagine- without fingerprints or DNA - crime scene investigator comes across a personal object. They would have nothing to on to go who that's belonging to."

According to WBTW News 13, using the smartphone could become a "non-invasive" way to look at how bacteria has passed and how long it stays in place; and to monitor health overall, giving the almost a picture of what bacteria have around you. Dorrestein added that this research will tell many about what kind of lifestyle this person is belonging with.

After analyzing wads from 39 healthy adults, Dorrestein and his colleagues determined if a person is likely female, uses high-end cosmetics, dyes her hair, drinks coffee, like spicy food, treated for depression, wear sunscreen and bug spray - indicating time spent outdoors, and all kinds of things.

Meanwhile, this kind of information could help investigators to search for smartphone owners. Dorrestein, however, said that the study has limitations, as it could not make a distinct match on fingerprints, reported by CBS News.

The study was published on November 14, 2016 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The sample size for this study was very small, so the researchers are continuing their study with an additional 80 people, as well as on objects such as wallets and keys.