Michelle Taylor

Editor-in-Chief

Forensic

Michelle Taylor has worked on the Forensic brand since 2016. Well established in the industry, Michelle has attended dozens of scientific conferences and conducted interviews with key opinion leaders, including multiple Nobel Prize winners and award-winning forensic scientists. Michelle enjoys writing about investigative forensic genetic genealogy, novel psychoactive substances, next-generation sequencing, sexual assault kits and more. Michelle received her BA in journalism from Elon University in North Carolina. Michelle can be reached at [email protected] Michelle can be reached at [email protected]

Study Defines New Method to Detect, Visualize Sperm Cells
August 25, 2021
The new method is based on the development of aptamers, single-stranded DNA molecules capable of selectively binding to a given target. read more
Despite Widespread Belief, Fentanyl Can’t Cause Overdose by Contact
August 23, 2021
Earlier this month, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department released body camera footage of an officer overdosing after coming into contact with fentanyl. They called it a “public safety video.” A group of 400+ doctors and experts called it misinformation. read more
Study Evaluates the Use of Hands as a Biometric Identifier
August 18, 2021
Researchers from Lancaster University argue there is a strong need to investigate the potential for identification from digital images of the hand, especially in cases of sexual assault where hand information may be the only biometric available for analysis. read more
Touch DNA from Pills Can Snare Drug Makers, Dealers
August 16, 2021
Using PCR-based methodology that is common in most of today’s forensic DNA laboratories, the scientists recovered DNA quantities ranging from 0.006 to 3.700 ng, with an average of 0.267 ng. read more
Infrastructure Bill Would Require Breathalyzers for All New Cars
August 11, 2021
The Senate has approved a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that—if signed into law—will have an effect on transportation for decades to come. And thanks to section 24220 on page 1066 of the proposed bill, that transportation includes drunk driving. read more
Evidence, Accuracy of ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection System Called into Question
August 04, 2021
On the heels of a peer-reviewed study that concludes ShotSpotter may be of little benefit to police agencies and does not reduce violent crime, VICE News has taken aim at the gunshot detection system, alleging that police are altering evidence—a claim ShotSpotter has vehemently denied. read more
Responding Deputy Adopts Boy Who Survived Biological Father's Murderous Rampage
August 02, 2021
As Ronnie Oneal III was sentenced showing no remorse for his actions, Ronnie Blair was across town with his family—safe, loved and physically recovered from the events of March 18, 2018. read more
Study: Crime Scene Virtual Reality Leads Jurors to Give More Consistent Verdicts
July 30, 2021
In a recent study, researchers at the University of South Australia have shown that not only is interactive technology in the courtroom possible, but it’s also preferable as it leads to fairer and more consistent verdicts. read more
Fracking Boom Raised Crime Rates in Rural America
July 28, 2021
Hydraulic fracturing has been linked to an increase in air and water pollution, earthquakes, traffic and more. Now, researchers have added another one to the list: violent crime. read more
Cold Case Arrest Leads to Change in Evidence Storage
July 21, 2021
The arrest of a man tied to at least two sexual assaults in the Orlando area 19 years ago has led the Orlando Police Department to change the policy on how long it storages evidence from sexual assault kits. read more
Watchdog Report Says Algorithms Strengthen Forensic Analysis
July 19, 2021
A new report from the Government Accountability Office, the audit institution of the U.S. federal government, has found that—despite internal and external challenges—algorithms strengthen forensic analysis, overall. read more
Study Suggests Digital Forensic Experts are Prone to Bias
July 14, 2021
In the first study designed to specifically explore reliability and biasability in digital forensics, renowned cognitive bias expert Itiel Dror and co-author Nina Sunde have illustrated that examiners’ observations are biased by contextual information, and consistency between the experts is low. read more
Study Reviews Current Sample Preparation Methods for Forensic Toxicology
July 12, 2021
Responding to advances in complementary technologies, researchers have authored a study review of current sample preparation techniques and considerations for different sample types that are typically encountered in forensic toxicology cases. read more
Accurate, Precise Soil Analysis Methods Could Place Suspects at Crime Scenes
July 07, 2021
Researchers have taken another step toward developing a method to match soil remnants found on personal items to regional soil samples to either implicate or eliminate a person’s presence at a crime scene. read more
Q&A: Data Extraction Methods for Today and Tomorrow
July 02, 2021
Long before we had literal computers in our pockets, digital forensic investigators were working to clone vital information from servers and hard drives. read more
Maryland, Montana Become First States to Restrict Genetic Genealogy Searches
June 30, 2021
Maryland and Montana have become the first U.S. states to pass laws that make it tougher for law enforcement to access and search consumer DNA databases for forensic genetic genealogy, or investigative genetic genealogy, purposes. read more
Bullet Found in Remains of Possible Tulsa Race Massacre Victim
June 28, 2021
The remains of a Black male with a bullet lodged in his left shoulder have been recovered by the team searching for, excavating and analyzing skeletal remains found in a mass grave of possible Tulsa Race Massacre victims. read more
New Synthetic Opioid is 20x More Potent than Fentanyl
June 21, 2021
A novel synthetic opioid that is ~20x more potent than fentanyl has been linked to 8 overdose deaths across 5 states in the last month, according to the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE). read more
28 Bodies Unearthed at Possible Tulsa Race Massacre Burial Site, Including Women, Infants
June 16, 2021
In the two weeks they have been back on site, forensic anthropologists and other researchers have more than doubled the number of graves and bodies found in the search for unidentified victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. read more
INTERPOL’s Global DNA Database Can ID Missing Persons through Kinship Matching
June 14, 2021
This month, INTERPOL debuted I-Familia, the first global database designed to use DNA of relatives to identify missing persons or unidentified human remains around the world. The move is significant at the international level. read more