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LiveScience

Patrick Pester

How forensic DNA analysis can falsely link people to crime scenes

Live Science Diversity NIST University of Oregon

A man wearing gloves and a lab coat pipets a liquid into vials, with lab equipment visible in the background.

When it comes to linking a suspect to a crime, most people assume that DNA evidence is nearly irrefutable. DNA carries a unique fingerprint, so if a suspect's genetic code is matched to DNA found at the crime scene, then they must have been there — right?

A new study highlights why it's not always that simple.

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