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forensics

Identical twin young women.

Article

Forensics – interesting facts

Here are some interesting facts about forensics and DNA:

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The CSI effect and forensic science

Article

The CSI effect and forensic science

Television dramas like CSI, Bones and Criminal Minds – can create false expectations and impressions of forensic science, especially in the courtroom. Listen to this radio ...

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DNA contamination: safeguarding forensic samples

Article

DNA contamination: safeguarding forensic samples

Professor Greg Hampikian has developed a DNA barcode system that permanently marks DNA samples, preventing them from being muddled with others. Professor Hampikian, who is chair ...

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The food detectives

Article

The food detectives

In an incident in 2008, a New South Wales pub was forced to apologise to an Australian family and reportedly paid a settlement of $50,000 after ...

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Chalk outline of human body on the street with two ID numbers

Article

Crime scene evidence

Forensic scientists collect or process trace evidence such as hair, skin, blood or semen samples that is found at crime scenes. Crime scene evidence can include ...

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New Zealand's DNA Databank

Article

New Zealand's DNA Databank

In 1995, New Zealand became the second country in the world to collect and store DNA profiles in a databank. Since then, forensic scientists and Police ...

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DNA profiling

Article

DNA profiling

DNA profiling is the process where a specific DNA pattern, called a profile, is obtained from a person or sample of bodily tissue Even though we ...

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Forensics and DNA

Article

Forensics and DNA

Forensics is the application of science in a legal setting. An example of modern forensics evidence is the use of DNA profiling. Sources of DNA include ...

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DNA detective

Activity

DNA detective

In this activity, students work through a series of slides to learn about the collection and processing of DNA evidence and use DNA profiling to solve ...

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Extracting DNA

Activity

Extracting DNA

DNA is the most important component of chromosomes and is wound up very tightly within the nucleus of the cells of all living things. Every organism ...

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Mobile forensic kit – unit plan

Teacher PLD

Mobile forensic kit – unit plan

In this unit plan, students develop a mobile evidence collection system to collect forensic evidence from a crime scene in a reliable, repeatable way. They are ...

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A broken window our of 6 windows on a house.

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Broken window

A broken window in a break in could yield possible forensic evidence to investigate the crime.

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Crime scene evidence collection

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Crime scene

Evidence being collected from a crime scene.

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Forensic scientist at computer gathering evidence.

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Forensic scientists gather evidence

Forensic scientists gather evidence to reconstruct a case to find the answers of where, what, when and who is involved

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Identical twin young women.

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Identical twins

Identical twins have the same DNA, but they always have some variation in the way they look and act. This uniqueness is a result of the ...

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Blood samples for DNA profiling.

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Blood samples for DNA profiling

Blood samples at the New Zealand DNA Profile Databank, for DNA profiling.

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A sausage cut in half showing metal shard contaminant.

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A sausage containing metal

A sausage containing a metal contaminant.

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A mouse tail hangs out of a loaf of fruit bread.

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Mouse tail in bread

A mouse tail hangs out of a loaf of fruit bread. You can see the neat mould where the tail was lying indicating the mouse (or ...

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A fly found cooked in a battered hot dog.

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A fly cooked in a hotdog

A fly found cooked in a battered hot dog.

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Diagram showing the double helix structure of DNA.

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Double helix DNA

A diagram showing the double helix structure of DNA. DNA helix by MesserWoland, CC BY 2.5.

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Chalk outline of human body on the street with two ID numbers

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Evidence of the crime

Crime scene evidence can include a wide variety of substances such as hair, bodily fluids and fibres.

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An example of a DNA profile.

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DNA profile

This DNA profile is based on 24 genetic markers (stretches of DNA found at specific locations in the genome). Each genetic marker contains a short tandem ...

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Karyotype of a human male.

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Chromosomes

DNA profiling examines sites on several chromosomes.

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Forensic scientist analysing a DNA profile at computer.

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Analysing a DNA profile

A forensic scientist analysing a DNA profile.

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