Question

What is a forensic palynologist? describe the case that mildenhall worked on in new zealand. how can a forensic palynologist help a crime investigation? what are the challenges of using a forensic palynologist in crime investigations? tiny witnesses read/listen to this npr audio story. what are some of the ways that investigators try to determine time of death? why is the time of death important? how are microbes being used to help determine time of death? beyond the time of death, how else could microbes potentially be used in crime investigations?

Answer 1

Forensic Palynology deals with the study of pollen and other palynomorphs, contributing to the clarification and resolution of judicial cases, mostly of a criminal nature. Palynomorphs are microscopic structures that easily adhere to various surfaces, of natural, artificial or even human origin, without being noticed. Thus, given their imperceptibility, in a forensic context, they are part of the group of so-called “silent tests”. They are biological entities extremely resistant to degradation, and are also very difficult to remove the surfaces Forensic palynology has a high potential in the context of criminal investigations, since in many countries, such as Portugal, it is not currently accepted as a tool for forensic support and the evidence obtained by this method of analysis is not yet recognized in court. However, with the growing number of recent publications related to this forensic area, the validation of palynology as a generalized forensic tool may be about to happen.