13/12/2023
Yes, general environmental conditions like weather,geography and air quality profoundly influence investigations and research in forensic science and beyond.
The experts reconstructs the weather near the time and place of the event using and interpreting all available data sources including weather observations, weather radar and satellite,lightning detection equipment and any other information that deem necessary to the case.
•Preservation - elements such as temperature fluctuations can accelerate degradation of evidence like DNA, fingerprints and physical traces.
•Dynamics - urban areas might have surveillance footage while remote locations pose challenges due to expansive landscapes.
•Climate change impact - long term shifts in climate patterns influence crime patterns,wildlife behaviour potentially altering types of evidence encountered.
•Natural disasters - floods,earthquakes or fires destroy or relocate evidence.
•Contaminants - pollutants in the atmosphere may affect evidence quality like DNA testing or chemical analysis.
•Geology - this influences decomposition rates and preservation of evidence and the interaction with the environment.
•Entomology - insects,vital in estimating postmortem are highly sensitive to environmental changes.Atmospheric conditions impact insect behaviour, colonisation patterns on decomposing remains, aiding in estimating time since death.
Investigators and researchers must consider these variables to interpret evidence accurately and draw conclusions that withstand legal scrutiny.