A technique called direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry allows for analysis of a sample nearly instantaneously and without special preparation. The operator simply places the sample on a holder in the open air between the DART ion source and the spectrometer. (A beetle is shown in the image here.) A new report in the journal Analytical Chemistry shows the technique’s potential application in forensic entomology investigations, with researchers successfully analyzing and identifying the species of maggot specimens in a matter of minutes—even up to six species at a time in the same sample. (Photo by Rabi Musah, Ph.D.)