Forensics, The Good, the Biased and the Unknown!

Forensic science is often seen as the key to solving crimes, but cognitive biases can cloud the accuracy of evidence and lead to wrongful convictions. This talk will explore how biases like confirmation and contextual influences shape forensic analysis and impact justice. Using real-life cases, discover the critical importance of addressing bias in forensic science to ensure fair outcomes in the courtroom.

Since the early days of fingerprint evidence, criminals have worn gloves to hide their identity. It’s a common assumption - no fingerprints, no trace. But what if that assumption has never actually been true? In this talk, we’ll explore surprising new research that shows fingerprints may still be transferred even when gloves are worn. This talk will uncover the unexpected science behind glove use in crime scenes, and why gloves might not protect offenders as well as they think.

Death is seen as the defining moment of someone’s journey. Most of us think of death as the end of the story - but for the body, it’s just the beginning of a new chapter. After the last breath is taken, the body begins its own transformation to decompose and ultimately return to the ecosystem, with the help of living organisms within. This talk explores the mechanisms of decomposition and how forensic scientists use this knowledge to solve real-life cases.