//www.koonmotors.com/news/matter_energy/forensics/ Forensics. How accurate is DNA evidence? Fingerprints? Read current scientific research on the successes and limitations of identification techniques. en-us Sat, 09 Sep 2023 22:50:57 EDT Sat, 09 Sep 2023 22:50:57 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/matter_energy/forensics/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706152735.htm Discoveries by forensic scientists about how gunshot residue behaves on skin, hair and fabric will allow crime scene investigators to catch up to the proliferation of new, eco-friendly types of ammunition and make faster, more informed decisions at crime scenes and in forensic laboratories. Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:27:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706152735.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230425111144.htm Researchers model the behavior of blood drops during secondary atomization to examine how the phenomenon affects a crime scene. The team examined different starting droplet sizes, confirming their model with experiments. They found the effect of secondary atomization was significant and predictable: The smaller droplets were easier to sweep up by the firearm's gases and turn around toward the victim. This discovery could explain how a short-range shooter might stay clean from blood stains. Tue, 25 Apr 2023 11:11:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230425111144.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230403162459.htm It is possible to retrieve forensically relevant information from human DNA in household dust. Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:24:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230403162459.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221107103212.htm The forensic-voice-comparison system, based on state-of-the-art automatic-speaker-recognition technology, outperformed all the listeners. Mon, 07 Nov 2022 10:32:12 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221107103212.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221013194053.htm Watch any episode of 'CSI,' and a character will use forensic DNA profiling to identify a criminal. A new study suggests that these forensic profiles may indirectly reveal medical information -- perhaps even those of crime victims -- contrary to what the legal field has believed for nearly 30 years. The findings could have ethical and legal implications. Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:40:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221013194053.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220921092952.htm Forensic dramas on TV make it seem easy to determine when fingerprints were left at the scene of a crime. In reality, the oils in fingerprints degrade over time, and it's difficult to figure out their age. Now, researchers have discovered molecular markers for changes to these oils over a seven-day time period -- information that could be used to estimate fingerprints' ages more accurately. Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:29:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220921092952.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220817103954.htm New research highlights the increasing threat of microplastics to global farming and food production. Scientists are researching the scale of plastic pollution in agricultural soils and its impact around the world. In recent years, the use of plastics in agriculture has increased significantly. However, microplastics in soil are estimated to take up to 300 years to completely degrade. It is believed that their presence alters soil characteristics such as its structure, water holding capacity, and microbial communities, and that microplastics are, in part, responsible for crop-reducing effects Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:39:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220817103954.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220621105624.htm In a project aimed at developing intelligent tools to fight child exploitation, computer scientists have developed a system to analyze the noise produced by individual cameras. This information can be used to link a video or an image to a particular camera. Tue, 21 Jun 2022 10:56:24 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220621105624.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220413131217.htm Tracing the regional origin of everything from milk to invasive bugs is now possible thanks to a new project. A strontium isotope map means biological material can be pinpointed to distinct geographical regions in Aotearoa. Wed, 13 Apr 2022 13:12:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220413131217.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220412095416.htm 新的研究帮助执法人员,佛rensic scientists and historians uncover attempts to hide victims. Tue, 12 Apr 2022 09:54:16 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220412095416.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220331101518.htm Skin cells and their DNA varies between individuals, but new data shows that some groups of people have higher variability in their cell deposits. The South Australian forensic science researchers are building a suite of new insights into crime scene investigation -- including the difference between high, intermediate and low skin 'shedders' that will help understanding of trace or 'touch DNA'. Thu, 31 Mar 2022 10:15:18 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220331101518.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220324130235.htm A study suggests blow flies could be used to detect the use of chemical weapons -- as well as other dangerous substances -- in areas too dangerous or remote for human investigators. Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:02:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220324130235.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220128100735.htm A new study has determined the post-mortem interval of human skeletal remains using real samples, which has been made possible by the combination of two non-destructive analytical tools: Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. This opens up new avenues for dating in the field of forensic medicine and anthropology. Fri, 28 Jan 2022 10:07:35 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220128100735.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/12/211210102901.htm Detecting the activity of CRISPR gene editing tools in organisms with the naked eye and an ultraviolet flashlight is now possible using new technology. Fri, 10 Dec 2021 10:29:01 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/12/211210102901.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211115123453.htm Experts have developed a unique method for retrieving high resolution images of fingermarks from curved objects like bullet casings that offers greater detail and accuracy than traditional forensic methods. Mon, 15 Nov 2021 12:34:53 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211115123453.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211115123448.htm More than 70% of microplastics found in samples from oceans and rivers could come from the scientists collecting them. A new article investigates procedural contamination when sampling for microparticles in aquatic environments. The study shows that a significant amount of microplastics and microfibres from scientists' clothing and gear mixes with environmental pollution in the water samples. Mon, 15 Nov 2021 12:34:48 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/11/211115123448.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211011091321.htm Fraudulent practices in food production, especially false claims of geographical origin, cause billions of dollars in economic damage every year. Botanists have now developed a model that can be used to determine the origin of food in an efficient and low-cost manner. Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:13:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/10/211011091321.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210830113320.htm A team of researchers has come up with a new solution to boost the surveillance of designer drug abuse. The team has identified three new urinary biomarkers that could be used to detect consumption of ADB-BUTINACA, an emerging synthetic cannabinoid which is a type of new psychoactive substance. The innovative approach used to identify the biomarkers can be applied to other existing and new synthetic cannabinoids. Mon, 30 Aug 2021 11:33:20 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/08/210830113320.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210708111505.htm In a new article, researchers provide an overview of sample preparation techniques and information on routine sample types that may be encountered in forensic toxicology cases. Thu, 08 Jul 2021 11:15:05 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210708111505.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210706115342.htm The Glasgow Face Matching Test has been updated to find super-recognizers who can help prevent errors caused by face recognition software. Tue, 06 Jul 2021 11:53:42 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/07/210706115342.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210421124525.htm Careful criminals usually clean a scene, wiping away visible blood and fingerprints. However, prints made with trace amounts of blood, invisible to the naked eye, could remain. Dyes can detect these hidden prints, but the dyes don't work well on certain surfaces. Now, researchers have developed a fluorescent polymer that binds to blood in a fingerprint -- without damaging any DNA also on the surface -- to create high-contrast images. Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:45:25 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210421124525.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210420121533.htm To search for answers about how blood droplets from a gunshot wound can reverse direction while in flight, researchers explored the influence of propellant gases on blood backspatter. They report using numeric modeling to capture the behavior of gun muzzle gases and predict the reversal of blood droplet flight, which was captured experimentally. Their experiments also show the breakup of blood droplets, a future extension of their modeling efforts. Tue, 20 Apr 2021 12:15:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210420121533.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210420121529.htm A real-life forensic puzzle inspired researchers to explore the physics involved, and in Physics of Fluids, they present theoretical results revealing an interaction of the incoming vortex ring of propellant muzzle gases with backward blood spatter. A detailed analytical theory of such turbulent self-similar vortex rings was given by this group in earlier work and is linked mathematically to the theory of quantum oscillators. Tue, 20 Apr 2021 12:15:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/04/210420121529.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210217134852.htm The 10 year anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident occurs in March. Recent work documents new, large (more than 300 micrometers), highly radioactive particles that were released from one of the damaged Fukushima reactors. Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:48:52 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210217134852.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210202113900.htm New research has found that optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technology can be utilized to distinguish between legitimate and counterfeit travel documents. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:39:00 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2021/02/210202113900.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/12/201209124928.htm A single strand of hair in a crime scene contains many clues that can help identify a perpetrator. In a recent study, scientists have combined two modern techniques, called surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence, to distinguish between different colors in individual hair strands. Both these techniques are almost non-destructive and can be conducted with portable devices, making this a promising way to get supportive evidence in forensic investigations. Wed, 09 Dec 2020 12:49:28 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/12/201209124928.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/11/201119103040.htm Forensic science experts are refining an innovative counter-terrorism technique that checks for environmental DNA in the dust on clothing, baggage, shoes or even a passport. Thu, 19 Nov 2020 10:30:40 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/11/201119103040.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/11/201110151149.htm A study compared crime rates near abandoned houses that were demolished and similar properties that were not, finding no reduction in violent or property crime near those torn down. Findings suggest simply demolishing dangerous houses is not enough to reduce crime. Tue, 10 Nov 2020 15:11:49 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/11/201110151149.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/10/201028134032.htm If you've visited the beach recently, you might think sand is ubiquitous. But in construction uses, the perfect sand and gravel is not always an easy resource to come by. Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:40:32 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/10/201028134032.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200624095950.htm Forensic scientists have discovered a new way of presenting fragile evidence, by reconstructing a 'jigsaw' of human bone fragments using 3D printing. In the first known study of its kind, researchers took fragmented burnt human bones and tested the ability to make 3D models suitable to be shown to a jury in court. Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:59:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/06/200624095950.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/05/200512151943.htm Trained dogs can detect fire accelerants such as gasoline in quantities as small as one billionth of a teaspoon, according to new research by chemists. The study provides the lowest estimate of the limit of sensitivity of dogs' noses and has implications for arson investigations. Tue, 12 May 2020 15:19:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/05/200512151943.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/04/200429105916.htm 尸体时发现的第一件事a forensic pathologist tries to do is estimate the time of death. There are several ways to do this, including measuring body temperature or observing insect activity, but these methods don't always work for corpses found in water. Now, researchers are reporting a mouse study showing that certain proteins in bones could be used for this determination. Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:59:16 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/04/200429105916.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/04/200423082233.htm Scientists used UV light and glow powder to study the way small amounts of drug residue get spread around a forensic chemistry lab when analysts test seized drugs. Their study addresses safety concerns in an age of super-potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl, which can potentially be hazardous to chemists who handle them frequently. Thu, 23 Apr 2020 08:22:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/04/200423082233.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/02/200206080453.htm An experimental fingerprint detection approach can identify traces of cocaine on human skin, even after someone has washed their hands -- and the test is also smart enough to tell whether an individual has actually consumed the class A drug, or simply handled it. Thu, 06 Feb 2020 08:04:53 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/02/200206080453.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200122134925.htm Police have long relied on the unique whorls, loops or arches encoded in fingerprints to identify suspects. However, they have no way to tell how long ago those prints were left behind -- information that could be crucial to a case. A preliminary new study suggests that could change. Researchers report that they could link compounds contained in fingerprints with their age. Wed, 22 Jan 2020 13:49:25 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2020/01/200122134925.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/11/191112160223.htm Researchers have designed a promising new tool that can identify smaller concentrations of drug powders than any other device. Portable, simple to use, and cost effective, the technology could provide law enforcement officers and forensic chemists a quick and accurate way to identify unknown, potentially dangerous, substances. Tue, 12 Nov 2019 16:02:23 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/11/191112160223.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/10/191022112202.htm Scientists have developed a forensic tracer that uses lead isotopes to detect and measure coal fly ash in dust, soil and sediments. Tests show the new tracer can distinguish between the isotopic signature of lead derived from coal ash and lead that comes from other major human or natural sources. Exposure to fly ash from dust, soil or sediments has been linked to numerous diseases and health concerns. Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:22:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/10/191022112202.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190917115455.htm Scientists have demonstrated a way for police to quickly and safely test whether a baggie or other package contains illegal drugs without having to handle any suspicious contents directly. The new technique can limit the risk of accidental exposure to fentanyl and other highly potent drugs that can be dangerous if a small amount is accidentally inhaled. Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:54:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190917115455.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190911083843.htm Science stinks. So thought Megan Harries as she measured drops of putrescine and cadaverine -- the chemicals that give decomposing corpses their distinctive, terrible odor -- into glass vials. She then placed the vials on the floor, walked outside, and closed the door behind her. Harries was conducting the first field test of a high-tech sniffing device that might be used at ports of entry to quickly and safely screen shipping containers for dangerous or illegal cargo. Wed, 11 Sep 2019 08:38:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/09/190911083843.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/08/190829101051.htm Researchers have revealed a new ultra-fast method to detect materials that could be used to build explosives. The new detection method is able to analyze a wider range of materials than current thermal based detection systems used in today's airports, while reducing false positive reports. Thu, 29 Aug 2019 10:10:51 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/08/190829101051.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/08/190806121136.htm Blood spatters are hydrodynamic signatures of violent crimes, often revealing when an event occurred and where the perpetrator and victim were located, and researchers have worked toward better understanding the fluid dynamics at play during gunshot spatters. They propose a model for the disintegration of a liquid due to an arbitrarily shaped projectile. Their model focuses on providing predictive models of gunshot blood atomization and droplet flight and spattering. Tue, 06 Aug 2019 12:11:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/08/190806121136.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/07/190715094838.htm A new article details how small samples of ubiquitous building materials, such as tile or brick, can be used to test whether a facility has ever stored high enriched uranium, which can be used to create nuclear weapons. The technique could serve as a valuable forensic tool for national or international efforts related to nuclear nonproliferation and security. Mon, 15 Jul 2019 09:48:38 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/07/190715094838.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/05/190510080953.htm Researchers have developed a new way of detecting homemade explosives which will help forensic scientists trace where it came from. Fri, 10 May 2019 08:09:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/05/190510080953.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/03/190327112622.htm For decades, forensic scientists have tested strands of hair to reveal drug use or poisoning. But in recent years, reports have questioned the technique -- in particular, its ability to distinguish between the intake of a substance and external contamination of the hair. Wed, 27 Mar 2019 11:26:22 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/03/190327112622.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190213081657.htm 根据疾病控制中心和Prevention, Down syndrome is the most common birth defect, occurring once in every 700 births. However, traditional noninvasive prenatal tests for the condition are unreliable or carry risks for the mother and fetus. Now, researchers have developed a sensitive new biosensor that could someday be used to detect fetal Down syndrome DNA in pregnant women's blood. Wed, 13 Feb 2019 08:16:57 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/02/190213081657.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/01/190115111950.htm New research finds significant flaws in recently released forensic software designed to assess the age of individuals based on their skeletal remains. The researchers report that, on average, the software's age estimates are off by more than 14 years. Tue, 15 Jan 2019 11:19:50 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2019/01/190115111950.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181107143438.htm Laser-based 'optical tweezers' could levitate uranium and plutonium particles, thus allowing the measurement of nuclear recoil during radioactive decay. This technique provides a new method for conducting the radioactive particle analysis essential to nuclear forensics Wed, 07 Nov 2018 14:34:38 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/11/181107143438.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/09/180926110850.htm When forensic chemists handle evidence that contains illegal drugs, trace amounts are inevitably released into the laboratory environment, which can cause detectable background levels of drugs in the lab. Why is this a problem? 'If I run a sample and it has fentanyl, I want to be sure that fentanyl came from the sample and not from background levels in my lab,' said a researcher. Wed, 26 Sep 2018 11:08:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/09/180926110850.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/09/180921113444.htm Combining multiple poor quality CCTV images into a single, computer-enhanced composite could improve the accuracy of facial recognition systems used to identify criminal suspects, new research suggests. Fri, 21 Sep 2018 11:34:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/09/180921113444.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180723132034.htm When experts compare the DNA left at a crime scene with the DNA of a suspect, they generate statistics that describe how closely those DNA samples match. These match statistics are reliable because they're based on rigorous scientific research. However, that research only applies to DNA fingerprints, also called DNA profiles, that have been generated using current technology. Now, scientists have laid the statistical foundation for calculating match statistics when using Next Generation Sequencing, or NGS, which produces DNA profiles that can be more useful in solving some crimes. Mon, 23 Jul 2018 13:20:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180723132034.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180705143928.htm The NPS DataHub allows forensic chemists to share data on new drug analogs, including their chemical structures and signatures, which are the keys to identifying them in the lab. Thu, 05 Jul 2018 14:39:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180705143928.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180705113954.htm Researchers have reconstructed the 1929 Grand Banks underwater avalanche to better understand these common geohazards, which threaten critical seafloor infrastructure. Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:39:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/07/180705113954.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180629150136.htm Forensic fingerprinting techniques will now be used in the battle against illegal wildlife trade as new methods of lifting fingermarks from trafficked animals. Fri, 29 Jun 2018 15:01:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180629150136.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180620094835.htm From the spatter analysis made famous in the TV show Dexter to the frequent DNA profiling of CSI and the real cases covered in the FBI Files, blood tests are ubiquitous in forensic science. Now, researchers report that a new blood test, which could be performed at a crime scene, could help determine the age of a suspect or victim within just an hour. Wed, 20 Jun 2018 09:48:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180620094835.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180614095243.htm The entertainment provided by televised sporting events has a significant effect on crime in Chicago, reducing the number of violent, property and drug crime reports by as much as 25 percent during the hours of a given game, according to a new study. Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:52:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/06/180614095243.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/05/180514083926.htm An international team has developed a novel tool to accurately predict eye, hair and skin color from human biological material -- even a small DNA sample -- left, for example, at a crime scene or obtained from archeological remains. This all-in-one pigmentation profile tool provides a physical description of the person in a way that has not previously been possible by generating all three pigment traits together using a freely available webtool. Mon, 14 May 2018 08:39:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/05/180514083926.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180418111647.htm Forensic handwriting specialists are often called on to testify in court about the origins of a few lines of writing, or to determine whether a specific person has written a sentence. Following a new study, researchers are now advising courts to take a cautionary approach when using experience-based likelihood ratios as evidence. Wed, 18 Apr 2018 11:16:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180418111647.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180409161310.htm Many of the 'forensic science' methods commonly used in criminal cases and portrayed in popular police TV dramas have never been scientifically validated and may lead to unjust verdicts, according to a new editorial. Mon, 09 Apr 2018 16:13:10 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180409161310.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180405140917.htm The shape of water. Can it tell us about what drives romance? Among fish, it might. Scientists are now studying how aquatic signals are transported through the water. Thu, 05 Apr 2018 14:09:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/04/180405140917.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/02/180213132941.htm International team of scientists shows that changes in gene expression in different tissues can be used to predict the time of death of individuals. Their results may have implications for forensic analyses. Tue, 13 Feb 2018 13:29:41 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2018/02/180213132941.htm