Science Questions

Can you use spectroscopy to spot whether ID cards are real, or faked on a home printer? Annie

It is very difficult to fake identity cards properly. Using bank notes as an example, an immense number of security measures have been put into them. Many of these measures are very hard and expensive to fake. One security feature on bank notes is the use of phosphors that give off different colours under light. Therefore, despite concerns about ID cards, they shouldn't be easy to forge.

December 2004