Forensic Test Predicts Eye and Hair Color From DNA 73
Posted
by
Soulskill
from the accurate-to-some-amount-of-decimal-places dept.
from the accurate-to-some-amount-of-decimal-places dept.
An anonymous reader writes "A forensic test that has been developed to help police nab perpetrators of crimes can predict a suspect's eye color, hair color, and ethnic origin. The test's ability and the science behind it has been outlined in Forensic Science International: Genetics (abstract). Developed by Susan Walsh and other researchers from the Netherlands, Greece, and Poland, the test uses phenotypes from DNA to ... predict a suspect's appearance using 'low amounts of template DNA, as well as degraded DNA,' which means that the DNA does not need to be perfect in order for the system to read it."
Re:Abortions ahoy! (Score:4, Interesting)
Well, actually people may misuse this in a different way. Cosmetic abortions: aborting because the DNA in your baby seems to indicate it will grow up to be an ugly person.
Re:We swear your honor... (Score:4, Interesting)
The OJ verdict disagrees with that line of thought
Re:We swear your honor... (Score:3, Interesting)
There's not much "science" in forensic science. You'll be hard pressed to find a single peer reviewed study that shows finger prints to be a valid means of identification (at least of the sort used in forensics where only a few points need to line up).
Re:Ethnic origins (Score:3, Interesting)