Neuroscientists have identified a brain scan that enables them to predict whether convicted felons are likely to land themselves back in jail after they've been released. But have they discovered the "repeat offense area" of the brain? Far from it.
Woman's death from a 30-year-old bullet wound ruled a homicide
In 1982, Linda J. Knauss was shot in a holdup outside a boutique in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This past week, she passed away due to complications from that old wound. That means that 30 years after being shot, Knauss perished as the result of a homicide.
6 Historical Forensic Detectives Who Deserve Their Own TV Shows
We've seen not one but two modern reinterpretations of Sherlock Holmes in the last couple of years, plus countless procedural dramas, including forensic-themed shows like Bones and CSI. Meanwhile, TV audiences are utterly charmed by historical dramas like Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire. And just this summer, ABC…
Are chronic allergy sufferers in danger of being arrested for making…
To combat the rampant manufacture of meth, Iowa passed a bill in 2005 making it one of the first states to place pseudoephedrine behind the counter at pharmacies and placing limits on how much of the drug individuals could purchase. And, in 2010, Iowa joined the national database to track the purchase of…
Your Biggest Genetic Secrets Can Now Be Hacked, Stolen, and Used for…
Few things in this world are more personal than your DNA. For this reason, databases like the Human Genome Project have always respected the privacy of their participants. By separating individuals' identities from their donated DNA samples, researchers have upheld a standard of "genomic anonymity." Those days are now…
Aaron Swartz Died Innocent — Here Is the Evidence
I did not know Aaron Swartz, unless you count having copies of a person's entire digital life on your forensics server as knowing him. I did once meet his father, an intelligent and dedicated man who was clearly pouring his life into defending his son. My deepest condolences go out to him and the rest of Aaron's…
Australia Is the Latest Victim of the Global Smurf Crime Conspiracy
No one knows why the Smurfs went bad. Did Gargamel get ahold of them? Did they run out of Smurfberries and go madcrazy Did someone put Aggravated Assault Smurf in charge? All we know is that Australia is the latest country to suffer a Smurf-perpetuated crime.
What's the penalty for smuggling dinosaur bones? A lot more than you'd…
A man who illegally exported a Tyrannosaurus skeleton from Mongolia has plead guilty to all charges and now faces up to 17 years in prison. As magistrate judge Ronald L. Ellis' ruling suggests, it's no small matter to engage in fraud of this kind.
A virus that reprograms your pacemaker to deliver an electric shock
What's likely to become a health threat you never expected next year? 4Chan griefers could actually deliver death or injury from the safety of their forums with a virus designed to infect medical devices. Many of these devices, such as pacemakers, can be reprogrammed wirelessly. And that means bad guys could reprogram …
Do you really know what kind of fish you are eating?
If you buy fish in New York City, you'll get the type of fish you wanted only 61 percent of the time, according to a new study by watchdog group Oceana. The study, released last week, was the result of the group's latest investigation into fish fraud in major American cities. They report:
