Unlocking Clues: The Role of DNA in Crime Scenes

Have you ever wondered how detectives solve tough crimes? Believe it or not, tiny bits of genetic code can hold the answers. Genes, like little instruction manuals, make each of us unique. Scientists use specific tools to read this genetic code and catch the bad guys. One of these tools is called PCR, which helps to copy small pieces of DNA. There's also STR, which looks at special markers in our DNA. Then there's mtDNA, which comes from our mothers and is found in many types of cells. And finally, NGS, a fancy way to read lots of DNA at once. These tools are pretty powerful, but they work even better when combined with a special database called CODIS. It helps to compare DNA from crime scenes with known criminals. While these tools are super helpful, they're not perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes, and other times there's not enough DNA to get a clear picture. But even with these challenges, DNA evidence has changed the game in solving crimes. It's interesting to think about how far we've come. Years ago, catching a criminal depended mostly on eyewitnesses. Today, DNA can tell a story all on its own.