Don't expect it to reach crime labs just yet. Although the current technique is already effective at identifying one person out of a million, that still leaves some room for doubt. The lab wants to pick up to 100 markers that would be enough to single out a person from the Earth's entire population. And did we mention that the current identification process takes about 2.5 days? Law enforcement would likely want a faster turnaround to catch suspects and identify victims while a case is still fresh.

If Lawrence Livermore can improve the process, it could usher in a new era for investigations. DNA would still be useful, but you'd frequently have an alternative for those moments when genes simply aren't an option. You'd stand a better chance of identifying a murder victim even if they've been left out in the open for decades, and you could easily confirm someone's lineage through remains dating back multiple generations.