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Search News by Rich Press

Displaying 26 - 50 of 84

A man in a lab coat and safety glasses looks up at petri dishes he is holding.

Spotlight: Scott Jackson’s Living in a Microbial World

August 4, 2021

Scott Jackson is not alone in this picture. It’s him, and his microbiome. The human microbiome is defined as all the microbes that live in and on the human body

A multicolored sphere made up of a dense network of colored ribbons against a black background.

New Collaboration Aims to Improve Measurement of Viral Vectors Used in Cutting-Edge Gene Therapies

July 27, 2021

ROCKVILLE, Md. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing

Forensic Science Organization to Draft Standards for Sexual Assault Examinations

July 20, 2021

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today that the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic

NIST Publishes Review of DNA Mixture Interpretation Methods

June 9, 2021

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published DNA Mixture Interpretation: A Scientific Foundation Review . This draft report, which

Carbon Dioxide Sensors in 2 Urban Areas Registered Big Drop in Emissions During COVID-19 Pandemic

June 7, 2021

Carbon dioxide emissions in Los Angeles fell 33% in April of 2020 compared with previous years, as roads emptied and economic activity slowed due to the COVID

Handwriting Examiners in the Digital Age

June 3, 2021

People are writing more than ever with their keyboards and phones, but handwritten notes have become rare. Even signatures are going out of style. Most credit

NIST Puts New Biopharmaceutical Quality Control Method to the Test

March 29, 2021

A new method for monitoring biopharmaceutical product quality was recently put to the test by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and 28

An illustration of a green sphere made of puzzle pieces against a dark background.

Scientists Create Simple Synthetic Cell That Grows and Divides Normally

March 29, 2021

Five years ago, scientists created a single-celled synthetic organism that, with only 473 genes, was the simplest living cell ever known. However, this bacteria

Study Indicates That Humidity in Breath Makes Cotton Masks More Effective at Slowing the Spread of COVID-19

March 9, 2021

Researchers have come up with a better way to test which fabrics work best for masks that are meant to slow the spread of COVID-19. By testing those fabrics

A scientist in lab coat and rubber gloves places a large clear bag of marijuana on a weighing scale.

NIST Study Will Help Labs Distinguish Between Hemp and Marijuana

January 14, 2021

Hemp and marijuana both come from the Cannabis plant. But legally, they are very different. If cannabis has less than 0.3% THC — for tetrahydrocannabinol, the

K9 Chemistry: A Safer Way to Train Detection Dogs

December 2, 2020

Trained dogs are incredible chemical sensors, far better at detecting explosives, narcotics and other substances than even the most advanced technological

New Airflow Videos Show Why Masks With Exhalation Valves Do Not Slow the Spread of COVID-19

November 10, 2020

Many people wear masks in public to slow the spread of COVID-19, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, masks with

NIST Launches an Updated Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science

October 1, 2020

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees ( OSAC ) for Forensic Science has updated its structure and improved several processes. These changes will enable

Green leafy material inside a graduated cylinder.

NIST to Help Labs Achieve Accurate THC, CBD Measurements

July 21, 2020

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a program to help laboratories accurately measure key chemical compounds in marijuana

Woman uses gas analysis mass spectrometer at NBS for chemical analysis of gas or vapor mixtures

NIST Adds New 'Fingerprints' to Chemical Identification Database

June 17, 2020

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its database of chemical fingerprints, called mass spectra, that are used to identify

An illustration of a black box with a human brain in it. The input to the black box is 0's and 1's, the output includes icons of maps, emails, calendar appointments and other data that might be useful in a criminal investigation.

NIST to Digital Forensics Experts: Show Us What You Got

June 2, 2020

Digital forensics experts often extract data from computers and mobile phones that may contain evidence of a crime. Now, researchers at the National Institute

Two New Forensic DNA Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

May 12, 2020

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has placed two new standards covering the interpretation of DNA evidence on its

In Glowing Colors: Seeing the Spread of Drug Particles in a Forensic Lab

April 22, 2020

When two scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) brought black lights and glow powder into the Maryland State Police crime lab

A woman holds a cellphone with a bullet hole in it.

NIST Tests Forensic Methods for Getting Data From Damaged Mobile Phones

January 28, 2020

Criminals sometimes damage their mobile phones in an attempt to destroy evidence. They might smash, shoot, submerge or cook their phones, but forensics experts

Bullet fragment is illuminated under microscope lens.

Kennedy Assassination Bullets Preserved in Digital Form

December 5, 2019

In the palm of his hand, Thomas Brian Renegar held two small metal objects that had changed the course of history. Twisted pieces of copper and lead, they were

A Solution to a Hairy Problem in Forensic Science

November 5, 2019

In an effort to make hair comparison a more useful technique for investigating crimes, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

NIST Announces Plans for OSAC 2.0

September 17, 2019

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Today, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

A Safer Way for Police to Test Drug Evidence

September 17, 2019

Scientists have demonstrated a way for police to quickly and safely test whether a baggie or other package contains illegal drugs without having to handle any

Woman in safety goggles operates an instrument housed in an aluminum briefcase

Sniffing Out Corpses and Other Signs of Trouble

September 10, 2019

Science stinks. So thought Megan Harries as she measured drops of putrescine and cadaverine — the chemicals that give decomposing corpses their distinctive

yellow crime scene tape with the words CRIME SCENE DO NOT ENTER

Houston Forensic Science Center to Voluntarily Adopt OSAC Standards

December 18, 2018

One of the nation’s leading crime laboratories, the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC), has announced that it will voluntarily adopt standards approved by