http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/forensics/ Forensics. How accurate is DNA evidence? Fingerprints? Read forensic science articles on the successes and limitations of identification techniques. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/forensics/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm New research suggests that unrelated individuals may be mistakenly identified as genetic family members due to inaccurate genetic assumptions. This is particularly relevant when considering familial searching: a new technique which extends forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In a new study, researchers show that false familial identification may be more likely for individuals with particular genetic backgrounds; for example, in the USA, those of Asian or Native American descent. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102023.htm Fingerprints that are potential key pieces of evidence in court currently are not being considered due to shortcomings in the way this evidence is reported. Now, a statistical model has been developed that enables the weight of fingerprint evidence to be expressed in quantitative terms, paving the way for its full inclusion in the process of identifying criminals, according to a new report. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102023.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116200602.htm TV crime shows like Bones and CSI are quick to explain each death by showing highly detailed scans and video images of victims’ insides. Traditional autopsies, if shown at all, are at best in supporting roles to the high-tech equipment, and usually gloss over the sometimes physically grueling tasks of sawing through skin and bone. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116200602.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093820.htm As tissue slides are more routinely digitized to aid interpretation, a software program is proving its utility. In bladder cancer test case, a new software tool separates malignancy from background tissue. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113093820.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151712.htm A new analysis of satellite data from the late 1990s documents for the first time the "uplift" of ground above a site of underground nuclear testing, providing researchers a potential new tool for analyzing the strength of detonation. The findings provide another forensic tool for evaluation, especially for the potential explosive yield estimates. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110151712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142027.htm Catching terrorists who detonate bombs may be easier by testing the containers that hide the bombs rather than the actual explosives, according to pioneering research. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207105433.htm The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology has published a revised biometric standard that vastly expands the type and amount of information that forensic scientists can share across their international networks to identify victims or solve crimes. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:54:54 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207105433.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011145711.htm Biometrics experts are developing a tool that can help law enforcement and military officials identify suspicious individuals at crime scenes. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011145711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011112757.htm For the first time ever, a team of researchers has announced the sequence of a complete complex carbohydrate biopolymer. The surprising discovery provides the scientific and medical communities with an important and fundamental new view of these vital biomolecules, which play a role in everything from cell structure and development to disease pathology and blood clotting. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011112757.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926230110.htm A scanner which combines the convenience of a desktop scanner with the functionality of a powerful laboratory imaging device has been developed and is now being commercialized. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926230110.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151737.htm A new show "Breaking Bad" makes chemistry entertaining but is not improving chemistry's tarnished public image, according to a new article. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103102.htm For the first time, scientists have developed a fast and reliable method to date silk. This new technique, which is based on capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry, has great potential to improve the authentication and dating of the priceless silk artifacts held in museum and other collections around the world. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110828171208.htm In this International Year of Chemistry (IYC), writers and producers for the most popular crime and science-related television shows and movies are putting out an all-points bulletin for scientists to advise them on the accuracy of their plots and to even give them story ideas. Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110828171208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175002.htm A pioneering technology to detect fingermarks at crime scenes, which provides additional information about a suspect, is a step closer to being incorporated into traditional forensic investigations in the UK. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720205944.htm Engineers in the UK have for the first time created a way of measuring how much force is used during a stabbing using a broken bottle. The advance is expected to have significant implications for legal forensics. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720205944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706144614.htm An automatic and portable detector that takes just fifteen minutes to analyze a sample suspected of contamination with anthrax is being developed by U.S. researchers. The technology amplifies any anthrax DNA present in the sample and can reveal the presence of just 40 microscopic cells of the deadly bacteria Bacillus anthracis. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706144614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622102654.htm A new technique allows researchers to collect large amounts of biochemical information from nanoscale bone samples. Along with adding important new insights into the fight against osteoporosis, this innovation opens up an entirely new proteomics-based approach to analyzing bone quality. It could even aid the archeological and forensic study of human skeletons. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622102654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614083930.htm Forensic scientists have to rely on their own subjective experience when asked to ascertain the age of contusions. Now, however, researchers in Norway have found a far more objective and precise method, using lamps and spectrometers. From the assembled data the researchers created a model for bruise progression over time which enables them to determine the age of the bruises more reliably. Bruises on children develop differently from on adults. Knowledge within this area could be particularly important in cases of suspected child abuse. Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110614083930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524070313.htm Physicists have worked out a system that can often determine exactly where blood spatters originate, a critical piece of evidence in not only solving a crime but securing a conviction. Tue, 24 May 2011 07:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524070313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511162536.htm Fingerprints: dozens of crime dramas revolve around them. The investigators find the victim, dust for fingerprints, run them through a computer program and voilá -- the guilty party is quickly identified and sent to prison. If only it were that easy. The reality is that this common but crucial part of an investigation is done by humans, not by computers. Wed, 11 May 2011 16:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511162536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412065950.htm Frequently the only biological material available to identify persons is DNA in a very degraded state. In these cases, the kits usually employed to carry out DNA identifications do not produce accurate results, given that all the DNA is not available. Biochemists have now developed a tool for identifying persons from these small fragments of DNA. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412065950.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110322105300.htm One of the blind spots in forensic science, particularly in identifying unknown remains, is the inability of experts to determine how much an individual weighed based on his or her skeleton. New research moves us closer to solving this problem by giving forensic experts valuable insight into what the shape of the femur can tell us about the weight of an individual. Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110322105300.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110307151913.htm Researchers working with the FBI have published the first scientific paper based on their investigation into the anthrax attacks of 2001. The case was groundbreaking in its use of genomics and microbiology in a criminal investigation, a new field called microbial forensics. More than 20 people contracted anthrax from spores mailed in letters in 2001, and five people died. Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110307151913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303184115.htm Researchers have developed a set of algorithms and created software that will automatically match hand-drawn facial sketches to mug shots that are stored in law enforcement databases. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303184115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301122227.htm Imagine that you witness a crime. The police investigator brings you to the police station to obtain an official statement, but between the crime and your official witness statement, you are exposed to other (potentially inaccurate) information about the crime. Before administering the criminal interview, the investigator asks you a litany of mundane demographic questions in a dry and uninterested manner, then moves directly into the interview about the crime. Would you feel comfortable? Most importantly, would your report be accurate and detailed, uninfluenced by the outside information you received? Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301122227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301111253.htm A new non-surgical post-mortem technique that has the potential to revolutionize the way autopsies are conducted around the world has been pioneered by forensic pathologists and radiologists. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301111253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110219160013.htm While a world free of nuclear weapons remains a goal for governments around the world, nuclear security constitutes a major challenge for the 21st century, as recognized at the 2010 nuclear security summit in Washington. Citizens are generally aware of international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but they are often unaware of nuclear security research and the important role science in this field. A new European nuclear security training center and enhanced international collaboration are good examples. Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110219160013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215114238.htm A US National Research Council committee asked to examine the scientific approaches used and conclusions reached by the Federal Bureau of Investigation during its investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis mailings has determined that it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion about the origins of the anthrax in letters mailed to New York City and Washington, D.C., based solely on the available scientific evidence. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215114238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110131073141.htm Forensic experts in Scotland are leading the way in the research of new ground-breaking forensic techniques within the field of fingerprints. The new research seeks to recover fingerprint ridge detail and impressions from fabrics -- a technique that has up until now proved difficult. It is the first time in more than 30 years that fingerprints on fabrics have been a major focus for research and the team have already had a number of successes. Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110131073141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119141859.htm It is possible to construct a 3-D face from flat 2-D images, according to new research. The discovery could be used for biometrics in security applications or in forensic investigations. Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119141859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119132517.htm Sexual offenders hoping to outsmart police by using a condom during their crimes may be out of luck thanks to a technique, that can prove they have had contact with a condom and place them at the scene of the crime. Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119132517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111083710.htm Multidetector computed tomography provides an efficient, effective way to analyze wounds from bullets and explosive devices, according to a new study. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111083710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101201095550.htm According to a study, the best way to detect cocaine in the body of a human drug courier, known as a mule, is through computed tomography. Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101201095550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101130104601.htm Scientists have developed a Megaframe Imager -- an ultrafast camera capable of recording images at the incredible rate of one million frames. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101130104601.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101124153104.htm The US National Institute of Standards and Technology and a coalition of federal, state and local agencies and other organizations have updated a standard and provided overall guidance and recommendations to help the nation's first responders and law enforcement agencies deal with collecting and managing samples of suspicious powders. Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101124153104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101122121629.htm Scientists have devised a method that would allow them to estimate the age of crime suspects or missing persons from blood collected at the scene of a crime. In principle, the new profiling method could be put to immediate practical use by law enforcement, according to researchers. They have already begun the required validation of the test, which is designed to assure that quality standards are met. Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101122121629.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117104458.htm The numerous technical and operational breakdowns that contributed to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the lack of a suitable approach for managing the inherent risks, uncertainties, and dangers associated with deepwater drilling operations and a failure to learn from previous "near misses," says an interim report. Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117104458.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101110123943.htm Snap an image of friends in front of a window curtain and the camera captures the people -- and invisible blood stains splattered on the curtain during a murder. Sound unlikely? Chemists are reporting development of a camera with that ability to see the invisible, and more. Called multimode imaging in the thermal infrared, the new technology could find uses in crime scene investigations and elsewhere, they say. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101110123943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021131605.htm Over the past decade, a team of scientists in Maryland have been working to stop the threat of terrorist-based attacks in the form of explosives or explosive-based devices, by providing a sound measurement and standard infrastructure. Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101021131605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101020084229.htm Groundbreaking research into fingerprint detection now has an industrial application, thanks to a new invention by the scientist who developed the technique. Dr John Bond's method of identifying fingerprints on brass bullet-casings, even after they have been wiped clean, was based on the minuscule amounts of corrosion which can be caused by sweat. Now, Dr. Bond has applied the same technique to industry by developing a simple, handheld device which can measure corrosion on machine parts. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101020084229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100914095936.htm New research will help medical examiners and others identify human remains of those killed during the recent earthquake in Chile, as well as the bodies of the "disappeared" who were killed during the Pinochet administration. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100914095936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100902101627.htm A team of chemists has discovered that a technique known as photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy could be used to identify the composition of pigments used in art work that is decades or even centuries old. Pigments give artist's materials color, and they emit sounds when light is shone on them. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100902101627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100806161855.htm The metal tin lacks the value and prestige of gold, silver and platinum, but to nuclear physicists, tin is magic. Physicists recently reported studies on the metal tin that add knowledge to a concept known as magic numbers while perhaps helping scientists to explain how heavy elements are made in exploding stars. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100806161855.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100804122715.htm A newly developed test could make checking DNA from people arrested for crimes with DNA samples from crime scenes stored in forensic databases almost as easy as matching fingerprints. With the test, police could check on whether a person's DNA matches that found at past crime scenes while suspects are still being processed and before a decision on whether to release them on bail. Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100804122715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100803175017.htm Researchers in Canada have combined DNA microarrays with microfluidic devices, which are used for the precise control of liquids at the nanoscale. Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100803175017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100730191706.htm Finding bodies buried by someone who wanted them to stay undiscovered can be difficult. However a new technique can reliably detect biochemical changes in a decomposing cadaver. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100730191706.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628075742.htm A new research project is set to play a vital role in continuing research into viable alternatives to invasive autopsies, which many families find to be unpleasant. Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628075742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607192733.htm The US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate new Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance is as detailed as 50 full-HDTV movies playing at once, with optical detail to spare. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607192733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607165748.htm Researchers have developed a potential new tool for medical diagnostics, testing food and water for contamination, and crime-scene forensics. The technique uses a combination of light and electric fields to position droplets and tiny particles, such as bacteria, viruses and DNA, which are contained inside the drops. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607165748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100525202303.htm Research conducted by psychologists and the police has found that criminals have their own distinctive "local haunts" when committing crime. Tue, 25 May 2010 20:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100525202303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100519143405.htm In a large natural disaster, such as the Haitian earthquake earlier this year, or in an unsolved homicide case, knowing the birth date of an individual can guide forensic investigators to the correct identity among a large number of possible victims. Researchers are also looking at victim's teeth to determine how old they are at the time of death. Wed, 19 May 2010 14:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100519143405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100513093739.htm A tiny silicon chip that works a bit like a nose may one day detect dangerous airborne chemicals and alert emergency responders through the cell phone network. If embedded in many cell phones, its developers say, the new type of sensor could map the location and extent of hazards like gas leaks or the deliberate release of a toxin. Thu, 13 May 2010 09:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100513093739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511112412.htm A new technique to analyse fingermarks from crime scenes has the potential to give crucial additional details about a suspect such their medications, diet and the time at which they accidentally left the fingermark. Tue, 11 May 2010 11:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511112412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511102121.htm CSI notwithstanding, forensics experts cannot always retrieve fingerprints from objects, but a new conformal coating process can reveal hard-to-develop fingerprints on nonporous surfaces without altering the chemistry of the print. Tue, 11 May 2010 10:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100511102121.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100325214554.htm Researchers have begun a sea search operation to locate the deep-sea wreck site of Air France Flight 447 and to retrieve the flight recorders from the Airbus A 330. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100325214554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100315161718.htm Forensic scientists may soon have a valuable new item in their toolkits -- a way to identify individuals using unique, telltale types of hand bacteria left behind on objects like keyboards and computer mice, says a new study. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100315161718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100218191734.htm The European Commission Joint Research Centre is among the few laboratories in the world that can provide the highly specialized analytical methods and techniques needed for nuclear safeguards and forensics purposes. In Europe, the JRC's Institute for Transuranium Elements supports Euratom Safeguards. At international level, the JRC cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Soon, JRC will enhance its capabilities to find nuclear materials in aerosol particles -- akin to finding a needle in a hay stack. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100218191734.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100106082527.htm Why do we chew our food? Research has shown that it is not, as has long been presumed, to make chunks of food small enough to swallow without choking. Biomechanics, who have modelled the cohesive strength of food after a certain amount of chewing, have shown that we actually chew our food to ensure it is in a firm blob and, therefore, safe to swallow. Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100106082527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091202091032.htm Researchers have developed a new technique aimed at improving the validation of a crime lab's cell phone forensics tools. Early experiments show promise for easier, faster and more rigorous assessments than with existing methods. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091202091032.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101628.htm The eyes may be the mirror to the soul, but the iris reveals a person's true identity. A new report demonstrates that iris recognition algorithms can maintain their accuracy even with compact images, affirming their potential for large-scale identity management applications. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101628.htm