Weegee, born Arthur Felig, wasn't just any photographer. He had a knack for being at the right place at the right time. In the 1940s, he was famous for snapping pictures of crime scenes in New York City before the police even arrived. He had a police scanner in his car, so he could monitor emergency calls and get to the scene quickly. His quickness got him the nickn...
Imagine this: A crime scene. A kiss, a bite, a lick. A trace of saliva left behind. This is not a love story. It's a forensic puzzle. DNA from saliva can stick around, even after the act. This is not new news. But, what if we could use it better? What if we could find more clues from it? DNA is like a secret message. It's unique to each person. It can tell us who wa...
Filming a crime scene might seem simple, but getting it right is crucial. A recent experiment showed that the way you film can greatly affect the quality of a 3D reconstruction. Researchers used advanced technology like Neural Radiance Fields and Gaussian Splatting to test different filming techniques. They set up a fake crime scene in an apartment and tried out var...
Forensic science has long relied on two key methods: analyzing fingerprints and extracting DNA. Both are crucial in solving crimes. However, getting clear fingerprints and extracting DNA from the same sample can be tough. This is especially true when the fingerprints are not clear enough. In such cases, the focus shifts to getting as much DNA as possible from the ava...
Picture this: a crime scene with a shooting. Police find empty cartridges. What can they do? Fingerprints might be there, but they are often messed up and not always helpful. So, what else can they use? How about the scent left behind? Let's dive into a unique experiment. Scientists set up a fake crime scene. They had volunteers handle a gun and fire it. The...
Hitchhiking is often depicted as dangerous, especially when it comes to sexual homicides. But have you ever wondered why? Researchers have just started to dig into this topic, comparing hitchhiking victims with those involved in sex work. The results? Offenders see hitchhikers as easy targets for abuse and theft. These attackers aren't necessarily driven by sadism or...
Imagine standing in a courtroom, but instead of looking at photos or watching CCTV footage, the judge puts on a virtual reality (VR) headset. This isn't science fiction; it happened in Broward County, Florida. Judge Andrew Siegel decided to see things from a different perspective—literally. He agreed to wear a VR headset to explore a wedding venue where an owner alle...
``Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) can be quite complex due to the similarities between impact spatters and fly spots. Expertise is currently the gold standard, but it has its drawbacks such as low efficiency, high error rates, and vulnerability to external factors. To improve this process, researchers turned to AI and transferred learning techniques. They used two ...
Ever wondered who helps solve crimes using just skin, hair, and nails? Meet forensic dermatologists, the latest addition to the crime-fighting team. Unlike other experts who might not be at the scene, these specialists analyze evidence sent to them. They create what's called a forensic expert analytical report. This report has key sections: how evidence was handled (...
In a recent turn of events, the NYPD has revealed that a gun found in Pennsylvania, belonging to suspect Luigi Mangione, matches the shell casings discovered at the Manhattan crime scene where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot. This important piece of evidence places Mangione at the center of the investigation. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch also confirm...