Cool Tech Helps Detect Time of Death More Accurately

Forensic science is getting a high-tech upgrade. Scientists are now using infrared thermography to measure the surface temperature of corpses and the surrounding air. This method is more accurate and easier than the old ways of checking internal body temperatures like the rectum or liver. The old methods had big problems. They needed a lot of skill and were easily messed up by human error. Plus, they didn't account for changes in the environment, making the results unreliable. Infrared thermography solves these issues. It's non-contact, quick, and can monitor temperatures in real-time. In a recent study, researchers used this tech on SD rat corpses. They tested it in different temperatures, from 25°C down to 5°C. They found that the surface temperature of the bodies changed in relation to the ambient temperature and the time since death. This helped them build better models to estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI), or the time since death. The study also looked at how body weight affects the rate of temperature loss. They compared rats, rabbits, and mice and found some interesting differences. Using fancy stats and machine learning, they created models to predict PMI more accurately. They even tested these models with a single-blind method to make sure they worked well. The results were promising. Infrared thermography could be a game-changer in forensic science. It's more convenient and accurate than old methods, making it super useful for real-world applications.