Microbial clocks can accurately estimate time since death across different climates
New research reveals that microbial clocks—forensic tools that track the succession and development of bacteria and fungi involved in decomposition after death—are highly accurate for estimating time since death, or postmortem intervals (PMIs), across different environments and between pigs and humans.
Researchers have discovered that microbial "clocks"—tools tracking bacterial and fungal succession in decomposition—can accurately estimate time since death (postmortem intervals) in humans across diverse climates and environments. By analyzing nasal microbiomes of pig carcasses in the U.K., scientists were able to estimate human PMIs when those carcasses were placed in the U.S. This cross-species approach shows promise for forensic investigations, potentially providing reliable evidence in court.
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