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Taking Measure Blog Posts

Forensic Science

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 28
A white telescope dish is surrounded by wooded mountains in autumn colors.

In Case You Missed It From NIST: 2021 Edition

December 8, 2021
While the pandemic still grips the world, researchers at NIST continue their work on COVID-19 related research, as well as the wide range of other science and technology topics NIST is known for. We have pulled together a selection of stories, videos and other content from around NIST to let you see
John Butler in his lab in front of a computer monitor with graphics on it

DNA Mixture Interpretations: A Q&A With NIST’s John Butler

July 22, 2021
Whether from skin cells, saliva, semen or blood, DNA from a crime scene is often collected and tested in a lab to see if a suspect’s DNA is likely a contributor to that sample or not. But every DNA sample tells a different story, and some samples are easier to interpret than others. The simplest
masked man with baseball cap seated at a lab bench pipetting samples

Improving Forensic Chemistry: A Q&A With NIST's Ed Sisco

April 28, 2021
Ed Sisco has been a research chemist within the Surface and Trace Chemical Analysis Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2014. His research has focused on chemical identification systems for forensics, homeland security and other applications. Ed is a finalist for
cartoon of a young woman at her desk speaking by webcam with another person.

The NIST Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program Goes Virtual

January 27, 2021
Brandi Toliver
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) designed the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program to inspire undergraduate students to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through a unique research experience that supports our mission
a collage of images. The number "2020" is surrounded by images of NIST staff George Gibson, Matt Staymates and Yamali Hernandez, a poster for the movie "The Last Artifact," an image of bikers racing up a hill, and a rifle bullet in a glass vial.

Need Some Good News? NIST’s 2020 Highlights

December 16, 2020
Mark Esser
2020 has been a challenging year, but we at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have worked as hard as we can to fulfill our mission for the American people: to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in
graphic showing the number six with a radar dish, a quantum logic clock, arrows representing magnetic spins, a magnifying glass, a baggie of white powder, and a group of cubes in a hexagonal shape

Top 6 NIST News Stories of 2019

November 25, 2019
Mark Esser
Measurement is a subject that touches upon just about everything, from the food we eat and the medicines we take to our investigations of the fundamental phenomena of the universe, so naturally, the news from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is widely varied. That’s what
a graphic with a large 5 surrounded by objects from the post including mysterious museum objects, a blackboard with equations on it, a cellphone, and three vials. Additional text above the 5 reads "2019 Taking Measure."

Top 5 NIST Blog Posts of 2019

November 25, 2019
Mark Esser
It’s December, and that means it’s time for us to reflect on the past year, and what a year it was! This year tens of thousands of people tuned into the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Taking Measure blog to get their metrological fix, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you
woman loads small plastic vials containing human DNA into a large machine

Human DNA Standard: A Q&A With NIST’s Becky Steffen

July 15, 2019
Becky Steffen
How do you solve a crime using DNA? First, you have to find biological evidence — such as blood, other bodily fluids, or maybe just a few skin cells that might be related to the crime. Then you can try to generate a DNA profile from that evidence. That is a genetic fingerprint, and no two people
A colorful illustration of showing human-like figures with the letters A, G, T, and C.



National DNA Day and the Birth of Investigative Genetic Genealogy

April 24, 2019
John Butler
Happy National DNA Day! Each year on April 25 we celebrate the 1953 publication of James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of DNA’s double helix. The day also marks the completion of the first human genome sequence in 2003. In February 2018, I gave an invited
a stylized graphic of a ribbon of multicolored A's, C's, T's, and G's astride an electrophoresis readout

Forensic Science is in My DNA

September 14, 2018
Mark Stolorow
Working in law enforcement is as tough as it is rewarding. I got my start in 1968 as a beat cop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My initial years on the force eventually led me to a 50-year career in forensic science. Back in my policing days, pretty much all we had was a uniform, a badge, a nightstick
Tom Bruno with an instrument inside a small suitcase. He holds a tube coming from the suitcase inside a paint can.

Judging the Quality of Forensic Evidence

January 23, 2018
Tom Bruno
While NIST is not a teaching institution per se, teaching comes naturally to many of us who work here. We’re always describing our work in scientific meetings, so it’s not a giant leap to actually teach courses on what we do, though it’s perhaps a little more challenging to teach people about
top left: circuit board; top right: materials from HHCIII; bottom left: leaf; bottom right: 3-D atomic clock

Twelve Ways NIST Is Working for You: 2017 Edition

December 29, 2017
Ben P. Stein
As managing editor in the NIST Public Affairs Office, I learn every day how our researchers tackle important societal issues in their work. As 2017 comes to a close, I’d like to share how our news during the last year has connected to many of this year’s current events. Protecting Our First
Diagram with blue background and man standing behind rope line

Ideas Whose Time Has Come (and Gone), v. 2017

December 20, 2016
Robin Materese
A catchphrase from a popular reality show goes: “One day you're in. And the next day, you're out.” For the purposes of the show, the host is referencing fashion. But the same could be said about science. With each new discovery or advance, an old theory or idea often becomes obsolete … or at least
Mushroom cloud from nuclear explosion

Know Nukes: Reference Materials for Nuclear Forensics

July 25, 2016
Jacqueline Mann
Legwarmers, preppies, yuppies, Molly Ringwald, nuclear paranoia … the 1980s were my favorite decade. I was in junior high school in New Jersey when I saw The Day After, a 1983 TV movie that depicted a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The focus of the movie, however, was

Building a Firearms Toolmark Database

July 22, 2016
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng
Although they are mass produced, every firearm is unique, and when fired, they leave unique markings called toolmarks on the bullet and cartridge casing. Law enforcement agencies have used these “fingerprints” to match firearms with bullets as part of their criminal investigations for more than a