Predicting Facial Morphology Using DNA Phenotyping
When trying to identify a perpetrator of a crime, phenotyping is another tool that investigators have to generate leads and narrow down suspects. Susan Walsh, Assistant Professor at IUPUI, describes what traits can currently be predicted based on DNA evidence and the direction she’s researching next. She also shares advice for others considering a career […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! DNA Analysis of 1944 Hartford Circus Fire Bodies Exhumed Was Unsuccessful […]
Investigative Genetic Genealogy: How Does it Work?
Today’s blog is written by Marc McDermott, a member of the National Genealogical Society with a deep passion for all things genealogy. Reposted from the Genealogy Explained blog with permission. There’s been a lot of media coverage lately around cold cases being cracked open using DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). Cases like the […]
Take Pity on Forensic Scientists – Crime Writers Make their Lives a Nightmare
Aliki Varvogli, University of Dundee A blackmailer steals a compromising letter from a woman of high standing. The police know he is keeping this letter in his home, but they cannot find it. Using the latest forensic tools they search every inch of the apartment, recording their efforts as follows: We examined the rungs […]
Arguing the Case for Probabilistic Genotyping
Probabilistic genotyping (PG) software is an invaluable tool for forensic analysts working to resolve complex mixtures, allowing analysts to draw conclusions about samples that were typically reported as inconclusive. Approximately 100 laboratories in the United States currently using some form of PG software, cases that have been processed using this method have begun making their […]
CSI: Current Research into the Impact of Bias on Crime Scene Forensics is Limited – but Psychologists can Help
Shutterstock Lee John Curley, The Open University and James Munro, Edinburgh Napier University When a jury decides the fate of a person, they do so based on the evidence presented to them in the courtroom. Evidence obtained from forensic analysis, such as DNA analysis, is often interpreted as strong evidence by jurors. […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! Familial DNA, Search Highlight Finalist Cases in 2020 DNA Hit of […]
This Week in Forensic Science
No one has hours to scour the papers to keep up with the latest news, so we’ve curated the top news stories in the field of Forensic Science for this week. Here’s what you need to know to get out the door! How World’s First Genetic Detective Caught British Girl’s Killer After 36 […]
NIST Adds New ‘Fingerprints’ to Chemical Identification Database
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its database of chemical fingerprints, called mass spectra, that are used to identify unknown chemical compounds. The NIST Mass Spectral Library and its new version, called NIST20, is used in health care, drug discovery, foods and fragrances, oil and natural gas, environmental protection, forensic science and almost […]
