Forensics News and Research

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Ancient DNA answers questions from the past

What does a 5000-year-old Ice Man, crime-solving mummies and life on other planets have in common?

26 May 2004

Australian graduate views drugs and crime from safety of laboratory

CQU graduate and former Rockhampton resident Andrew Stewart is now enjoying a career in Brisbane, Australia as a forensic chemist with the State Government Pathology and Scientific Services.

17 May 2004

British man charged for contaminating baby formula with boric acid

A British national was charged today with extortion and tampering with consumer products for sending several adulterated food items – including baby formula contaminated with boric acid – to the Ralphs grocery chain and demanding $180,000 to prevent poisoned food from being placed on store shelves.

7 May 2004

FDA to create database to help identify counterfeit pharmaceutical brands

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to create a database of the major pharmaceutical brands on the US market, to make it easier to establish the authenticity of suspect products and identify counterfeit versions that enter the supply chain.

3 May 2004

Compulsory community treatment orders (CTOs) alone do not reduce admissions to psychiatric hospital

Compulsory community treatment orders (CTOs) alone do not reduce admissions to psychiatric hospital, according to an important new study from Australia, published in the May issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

27 Apr 2004

New forensic tool to detect infectious diseases

Tests for the detection of infectious diseases in North Queensland will be faster and cheaper, thanks to the purchase of new equipment in James Cook University's School of Biomedical Sciences.

16 Apr 2004

Magnetic tweezers that can manipulate strands of DNA

An array of magnetic traps designed for manipulating individual biomolecules and measuring the ultrasmall forces that affect their behavior has been demonstrated by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

9 Apr 2004

New microgel could potentially recover any enzyme and save manufacturers considerable money

Carnegie Mellon University scientists have employed biological molecules to create a microgel that could recover costly enzymes for repeated use in catalyzing commercially important reactions. The microgel could potentially recover any enzyme and theoretically save manufacturers considerable money.

8 Apr 2004

Snake venom launders out all stains

Purveyors of snake oil and its mythical powers may not have had it all wrong, if preliminary findings with the Florida cottonmouth, bloodstains and a washing machine stay on target. An enzyme extracted from the viper's venom appears to help launder out notoriously stubborn blood spots on clothing.

29 Mar 2004