Science: FBI investigation of 2001 anthrax attacks concluded; U.S. releases details. The Justice Department has closed its investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks that claimed the lives of five people. The government has released documents implicating Bruce E. Ivins, an Army scientist, as the sole perpetrator. Ivins committed suicide in 2008. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: War Game Reveals U.S. Lacks Cyber-Crisis Skills. A nonprofit company presented a cyber attack simulation to former national security personnel. The simulation demonstrated that the U.S. government is not prepared for a major cyber attack. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Backlogs of Forensic DNA Evidence. Many jurisdictions face a backlog in processing forensic evidence gathered at crime scenes. On this page learn about: defining backlogs, counting the backlog, and reducing the backlog. FBI News Update, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Angle of impact (an•gel of im•pact; [aŋ΄gәl uv im pakt΄]—noun): The internal angle at which blood strikes a target surface relative to the horizontal plane of that surface. Thus, a straight-on impact would have an impact angle of 90° projectiles.

Science: China Leads The World In Hacked Computers, McAfee Study Says. McAfee conducted a studycovering the last three months of 2009 and determined that computers in China were hacked more than in any other country. The United States had the second highest number of hacked computers during that same time period. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: FORENSIC ANALYSIS: Clues Buried in Sounds and Images. Twenty six examiners work in the FBI’s Digital Evidence Laboratory’s Forensic Audio, Video, and Image Analysis Unit. Based in Quantico, Virginia, the unit gets requests from all 56 field offices and our overseas offices, or legal attachés. FBI News Update, 2010

Law: Virginia Lawmakers Aim To Loosen Firearm Restrictions. Virginia legislatorshave proposed several bills that if passed will ease the restraints placed on gun owners. Washington Post, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Ammunition (am•mu•ni•tion; [am΄yōō nish΄әn]—noun): (1) One or more loaded cartridges consisting of a primed case, propellant, and with one or more projectiles. Also referred to as fixed or live ammunition. (2) Compressed gas cylinder used in air guns as a means of propelling projectiles.

Science: Analysis: Iranian Plan Will Put Nation A Step Closer To Having Material For Bomb. Iran informed the United Nations that it will be manufacturing uranium to assist in the production of medical isotopes.This announcement raises concerns that Iran will use the uranium to create a nuclear bomb. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Intelligence Officials Say Al-Qaeda Will Try To Attack U.S. In Next 6 Months. Several leading intelligence officials testified in front of the Senate Intelligence Committeeon February 2 about future terrorist threats to the United States. The officials agreed that an attempted attack on the United States will occur within the next six months. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Unidentified Bodies In South Florida To Be Exhumed For DNA Testing. Missing Children International Ministriescreated a project called "Who Am I?" to help identify unknown persons and provide closure to families with missing loved ones. Several unidentified bodies in Palm Beach County will be exhumed and their DNA will be entered into the FBI's national DNA database. The project may soon include other counties throughout Florida. Sun Sentinel, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Allelic marker (al•lel•ic mark|er; [ә lēl΄ik märk΄әr]—noun): Allele form of a gene used to identify chromosomal segments suspected of association with a certain phenotype. For example, allelic markers may be used with a family pedigree in which a phenotype is common to identify chromosomal segments that contain the gene responsible for the phenotype.

Science: Illinois plans reforms for processing DNA. Officials are exploring ways to address the backlog of rape kits and other problems at the Illinois State Police Crime Lab. Chicago Tribune, 2010

Technology: More Than 75,000 Computer Systems Hacked In One Of Largest Cyber Attacks, Security Firm Says. NetWitness discovered a cyber attack last month that targeted company computer systems in 196 countries. The attack appears to have originated in Eastern Europe. Cardinal Health and Merck were among the companies affected. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Big Brother Is Here: Families Say Schools Snoop in Their Homes With District-Issued Laptops & Webcams. A federal class action claims a suburban school district has been spying on students and families through the "indiscriminant use of and ability to remotely activate the webcams incorporated into each laptop issued to students," without the knowledge or consent of students or parents. The named plaintiffs say they learned that Big Brother was in their home when an assistant principal told their son that the school district knew he "was engaged in improper behavior in his home, and cited as evidence a photograph from the webcam embedded in minor plaintiff's personal laptop issued by the school district." Courthouse News Service, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Allele (al•lele; [ә lēl΄]—noun):: One of a series of alternative form of a gene (or VNTR) at a specific locus in a genome. In DNA analysis the term allele is commonly extended to include DNA fragments of variable lengths and sequence that may have no known transcriptional product but are detected in a polymorphic system.

Science: Genetic Tests Give Consumers Hints About Disease Risk; Critics Have Misgivings. Several companies such as 23andMe, Navigenics, and Decode Genetics claim that by analyzing a small sample of DNA they can providea person with important medical information including his or her predisposition for cancer and diseases. Geneticists and others in the medical community warn that this information may not be completely accurate and suggest that a doctor should be involved in the process. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Google To Enlist NSA To Help It Ward Off Cyberattacks. After Google's network was hacked in December, the company reportedly appealed to the National Security Agency to help it defend against future cyberattacks. The expected partnership between the government and the private sector raises some privacy concerns. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Poison and Progress: Modern science's race to stay ahead of global terrorists and political assassins began with some devious poisoners in the 19th and early 20th centuries.. The wholesale use of poison got another boost during the chemical revolution of the 1800s. Scientists learned to isolate and identify the basic elements and the chemical compounds that define life on Earth, gradually building a catalogue called ... The Wall Street Journal, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Air scent search (air scent search; [er sent sәrch]—verb):: Search of a designated area by a canine trained to indicate the location of particular scents; includes searches for narcotics, land mines, agricultural products, missing persons, and dead persons.

Science: U.S. Is Unprepared For Major Bioterrorism Attack, Commission Finds. The Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism issued a report stating that the United States does not have adequate plans in place to respond to a bioterrorism attack. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: ON THE GRID: Computers Crunch Numbers in Their Sleep. In the FBI’s case, the grid is made up of thousands of desktop workstations at Headquarters and in field offices and resident agencies across the country. The computers are classified “secret” and are separate from the unclassified computers assigned to Bureau staff. Computers in the grid might be called upon to solve large computational problems or sort through massive indexes of data that might otherwise take years—or even decades—to sift and process. FBI News Update, 2010

Law: Metro Plans Terrorism Drills On Train, Bus Systems. In December of 2009, Metro established an anti-terrorism unit, which was funded by a grant from theDepartment of Homeland Security. The unit is working with Metro Transit Police officers and other law enforcement personnel coordinating simulated training exercises in hopes of deterring terrorist attacks on the transit system. Washington Post, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... AFIS: Automated Fingerprint Identification System that enables computers to make rapid and accurate comparisons between fingerprints and the vast number of fingerprints in police records.

Science: Officials Fear Toxic Ingredient In Botox Could Become Terrorist Tool. Botox is a popular anti-aging drug that contains a diluted amount of botulinum toxin. A very small amount of pure botulinum toxin can be lethal. An increase in the number of black market forms of Botox has officials concerned that terrorists may use the pure toxin as a weapon of mass destruction. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Computer Graphics 'Take Jurors To Scene Of Crime'. The Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) possesses a computer forensic unit that can digitally reconstruct crime scenes. The SPSA hopes the technology will assist jurors during criminal trials. The Scotsman, 2010

Law: In A First Test For Court Watchers, Sotomayor Upholds Death Sentence. In a 7 to 2 decision, the United States Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of an Alabama man who was convicted of killing his former girlfriend. Washington Post, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Adhesive lifter ad•he•sive lift•er; [ad hē΄siv lift΄er]—noun):Any of a variety of adhesive coated materials or tapes used to lift fingerprints or footwear impressions. They are primarily used to lift powdered impressions from nonporous surfaces.

Science: Va. Day-care Provider Convicted In 'Shaken Baby' Case. Trudy E. Munoz Rueda was convicted of felony child abuse and child cruelty for shaking a 4-month-old baby. Several expert witnesses testified during the trial about shaken baby syndrome. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Hillary Clinton Calls For Web freedom, Demands China Investigate Google Attack. In a speech given on January 21, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clintonrequested that China investigate the cyber attacks on Google gmail accounts and emphasized the importance of Internet freedom. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Man Dies After Run-in With Arlington Police; Taser Was Used. Arlington County police officers used a Taser to help restrain a man suspected of theft. The mandied soon after the confrontation with police officers. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of death. Washington Post, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Active decay (ac•tive de•cay; [ak΄tiv dē kā΄]—verb): That phase of corpse decomposition that follows bloat, is characterized by much maggot activity, and terminates with a rapid decrease in body weight.

Science: Shaken Baby Syndrome Itself Is Put On Trial In Fairfax Court. Several expert witnesses testified about shaken baby syndrome during the trial of a day care provider who has been charged with felony child abuse and child endangerment following the hospitalization of 4-month-old Noah Whitmer. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Google China cyberattack part of vast espionage campaign, experts say. Google mayclose its operations in China after it discovered that a cyber attack had been launched from China in attempts to access certain Gmail accounts and networks of major financial, defense, and technology companies and research institutions in the United States, security experts said. Google has been embroiled in debates with the Chinese government regarding Internet censorhip. Google's senior vice president and chief legal officer stated that the company will no longer comply with these search restrictions. Washington Post, 2010

Law: THE PORTABLE FBI Our Newest Social Media Initiatives. More than 35 million people visited the FBI website last year, but many of you prefer your own corners of the Internet, whether it's a personal webpage, blog, networking site, or some other space. That's why in recent years we’ve worked to bring our information to where you are in the online world. FBI News Update, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... Accreditation (ac•cred•i•ta•tion; [ә kred΄ә tā shәn]—verb): (1) A formal process by which a laboratory is evaluated, with respect to established criteria, for its competence to perform a specified kind of measurement; (2) the decision based upon such a process; (3) formal recognition that a testing laboratory is competent to carry out specific tests or specific types of tests. [(3) – ISO Guide 2 1986].

Science: Wrongly Imprisoned, Donald Gates Adjusts To Freedom After 28 Years. Donald Gates was released from prison in December 2009 after post-conviction DNA testing proved that he did not commit a rape and murder in 1981. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Social Networking Among Jurors Is Trying Judges' Patience. Despite judges' warnings,jurors in several recent court cases have used social networking sites and the internet to discuss cases and conduct research. This form of juror misconduct has forced some judges to order new trials. Washington Post, 2010

Law: Supreme Court Revisits Ruling On Challenges To Forensic Reports. Last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Melendez-Diaz that defendants have the right to question forensic scientists prior to forensic reports being admitted into evidence. The Court is faced with this same issue in Briscoe v. Virginia. Washington Post, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... xenobiotic (\,ze-nō-bī-ˈä-tik, ˌzē-, -bē-\) n. A chemical compound (as a drug, pesticide, or carcinogen) that is foreign to a living organism. Link

Science: Testing Of Cocaine Vaccine Shows It Does Not Fully Blunt Cravings For The Drug. Scientists have developed a vaccine called TA-CD that may minimize the effects of cocaine. Washington Post, 2010

Technology: Suit Says 2 Chinese Firms Stole Web-Blocking Code. A software company in California has sued two Chinese technology firms, charging that they stole its computer code to make an Internet-monitoring program that China’s government sought to install on every computer in the country last year before backing down. NY TIMES, 2010

Law: THE YEAR IN REVIEW - A Look at FBI Cases, Part 2. The FBI worked thousands of investigations during 2009, everything from cyber crime and espionage to public corruption and billion-dollar fraud schemes. Here is a look back at some of 2009’s most significant cases. Part 1 focused on terrorism cases. This segment highlights some of the year’s top cases from the FBI’s other investigative priorities ... Federal Bureau of Investigation News, 2010

Featured forensics-related word ... ac•cel•er•ant Accelerant (ac•cel•er•ant; [ak sel΄әr әnt]—noun): Any material used to initiate or promote the spread of a fire. The most common accelerants are flammable or combustible fluids. Whether a substance is an accelerant depends not on its chemical structure, but on its use. An accelerant may be a solid, liquid, or in some instances, a gas. Definition from Forensic Science: An Illustrated Dictionary (CRC Press 2004) by John C. Brenner. Link found at Forensic Science: An Illustrated Dictionary.

Science: BSO latest to join fingerprint registry. The Broward Sheriff's Office became the latest law enforcement agency to share digitally recorded inmate fingerprints with the Department of Homeland Security as part of a nationwide program to keep criminal undocumented immigrants off the streets. Under the program, undocumented immigrants' fingerprints are compared to fingerprints of those with criminal records. Miami Herald, 2009

Technology: House takes steps to boost cybersecurity. House leaders have asked the chamber's security officials to implement a new cybersecurity training regimen for aides and take additional measures to protect sensitive information from potential hackers. Washington Post, 2009

Law: THE YEAR IN REVIEW - A Look at FBI Cases, Part 1. The FBI worked thousands of investigations during 2009—from art crime to weapons of mass destruction violations, often in close concert with our partners. As the year comes to a close, here is a rundown of some of the Bureau's most significant cases. Federal Bureau of Investigation News, 2009

Featured forensics-related word ... fo•ren•sics (f-rnsks, -zks) n. (used with a sing. verb) 1. The art or study of formal debate; argumentation. 2. The use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal or civil courts of law. The word forensic comes from the Latin word forensis: public; to the forum or public discussion; argumentative, rhetorical, belonging to debate or discussion. The modern definition of forensic as belonging to, used in or suitable to courts of judicature, or to public discussion or debate. Forensic science is science used in public, in a court, or in the justice system. Any science used for the purposes of the law is a forensic science. AAFS on Forensic Science

Science: Studying Young Minds, and How to Teach Them. “This is what we believe focused math education does: It sharpens the firing of these quantity neurons,” said Stanislas Dehaene, a cognitive neuroscientist at the Collège de France in Paris and author of the books “The Number Sense” and “Reading and the Brain.” The firing of the number neurons becomes increasingly more selective to single quantities, he said; and these cells apparently begin to communicate with neurons across the brain in language areas, connecting precise quantities to words: “two,” “ten,” “five.” New York Times, 2009

Technology: Calling on Leakers to Help Document Local Misdeeds. It was a simple idea: use the power and elusiveness of the Internet to publish secret documents that someone, somewhere thought should be made public. And dare the government, any government, to shut you down. NY Times, 2009

Law: Internet Crimes Against Children. NIJ has made available, from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a three part report on Internet Crimes Against Children. The report is designed to aid prosecutors, legislators, researchers, child and legal advocates, law enforcement and judges. Office of Justice Programs, 2009

Science: Study Suggests Methods and Timing to Treat Fears. A new study suggests that doctors can take advantage of the brain’s natural updating process — the way it might soften its impression of, say, pit bulls after seeing a playful one — to treat phobias, post-traumatic stress and other anxiety disorders. New York Times, 2009

Technology: HOLIDAY SHOPPING ALERT Beware of Seasonal Scams. “Oh, you better watch out…” Cyber shoppers should take heed of the familiar holiday song’s timeless refrain. FBI News, 2009

Law: Report Condemns Police Lab Oversight. The New York State Police’s supervision of a major crime laboratory was so poor that it overlooked evidence of pervasively shoddy forensics work, allowing an analyst to go undetected for 15 years as he falsified test results and compromised nearly one-third of his cases, an investigation by the state’s inspector general has found. New York Times, 2009

Science: PLAYING WITH FIRE: The Dangers of Improvised Explosives. The Internet has certainly added to the problem. Not only do online searches yield recipes for making powerful bombs, they provide access to videos that offer step-by-step instructions. FBI News, 2009

Technology: Judges, lawyers can't be 'friends'. Justices and attorneys may have to unfriend each other on Facebook after a recent opinion by a state ethics committee. myFOX nepa, 2009

Law: High court to rule on employee privacy. The Su­preme Court will decide whether employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy for the text messages they send on devices owned by their employers. Washington Post, December, 2009

Science: PLAYING WITH FIRE: The Dangers of Improvised Explosives. The Internet has certainly added to the problem. Not only do online searches yield recipes for making powerful bombs, they provide access to videos that offer step-by-step instructions. FBI News, 2009

Technology: Judges, lawyers can't be 'friends'. Justices and attorneys may have to unfriend each other on Facebook after a recent opinion by a state ethics committee. myFOX nepa, 2009

Law: High court to rule on employee privacy. The Su­preme Court will decide whether employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy for the text messages they send on devices owned by their employers. Washington Post, December, 2009

Science: Another backlog on DNA evidence. The state has quietly begun comparing DNA taken from homicide victims to DNA collected from the scenes of unsolved crimes in an attempt to link the deceased to those cases, but the launch of the new initiative has been plagued by problems ... Chicago Tribune, 2009

Technology: Facebook adopts new privacy settings. The popular networking site introduced new privacy settings on Wednesday that are supposed to give its 350 million users more control over what information they share and whom they share it with. But public interest groups are concerned that Facebook's default settings for how far that information can travel are too broad. They also worry that the new program could open up a user's personal profile information to ... Washington Post, 2009

Law: St. Leonard closes doors to sex offenders. St. Leonard's Ministries, which has a long record of helping to reform all types of felons, told the Department of Corrections it would no longer house any sex offenders after Julius Anderson slipped off its grounds in August never to return, despite electronic monitoring being used. Chicago Tribune, 2009

Science: Strengthening Forensic Science: The Next Wave of Scholarship. This article focuses on threads of scholarly literature citing and commenting on the NAS Report; and highlights discussions where experts and practitioners rethink the merits of a wide range of forensic issues. LLRX.com, 2009

Technology: IMPEACHMENT VIA SOCIAL NETWORK WEBSITES. Can what you post on social network websites (such as Facebook and MySpace) be used to attack your credibility in a courtroom? Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, 2009

Law: Lawsuit Seeks Information on Federal Surveillance of Social Networking Sites. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the University of California, Berkeley’s Samuelson Clinic have filed a lawsuit (PDF document) against six government agencies, seeking information on their use of social networking sites for data collection and surveillance. resource shelf - a daily newsletter, 2009

Science: Hacked E-Mail Is New Fodder for Climate Dispute. Hundreds of private e-mail messages and documents hacked from a computer server at a British university are causing a stir among global warming skeptics, who say they show that climate scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change. New York Times, November, 2009

Technology: Building an Online Bulwark to Fend Off Identity Fraud Assessing risk: The Internet is awash in personal data, which means yours may never be found. Several services look for signs of sticky fingers, to know when data reaches the hands of criminals so people can act quickly. New York Times, November, 2009

Law: Facebook status update provides alibi. For 19-year-old Rodney Bradford, a simple Facebook status update turned into much more: a rock-solid alibi after he was accused of a crime ... CNN Justice, 2009

Science: More digging for bodies to come in Cleveland slayings case?. Authorities used thermal-imaging equipment and ground-penetrating radar to search outside murder suspect, Anthony Sowell's, home and a property next door ... CNN, November, 2009

Technology: READY TO RESPOND: Technology on Display. When the FBI is called upon to investigate a crime scene or to assist with incidents ranging from the criminal use of hazardous materials to hostage situations, we rely on the expertise of our dedicated and highly trained personnel. They, in turn, more often than not rely on technology to help them succeed in their missions. FBI News, 2009

Law: Nursing homes: Most sex offenders living in nursing homes aren't listed on state police's online registry. Under Illinois law, families researching nursing homes are directed to search a state police website for critical information about sex offenders living in the facilities. In Chicago fewer than one in five sex offenders in nursing homes were listed on the online registry. Part of the problem is a gap in the law ... Chicago Tribune, November, 2009

Science: New DNA Method Makes It Easier To Trace Criminals. DNA samples often convict criminals. But many of today's forensic tests are so polluted by soil, tobacco and food remains, for example, that they can not be used. Now researchers at Lund University in Sweden, working together with the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science, SKL, have improved a critical part of the analysis process. Science Daily, October, 2009

Technology: Trove of Hotmail Passwords Posted Online. If you use Microsoft's free Hotmail service, it may be time to change your password: Microsoft said Monday that several thousand Hotmail account credentials were posted online over the weekend. Washington Post, November, 2009

Law: Former New York Federal Reserve Bank Employee Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Using Stolen Identities to Obtain Loans Fraudulently. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Curtis L. Wilsthire pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for having obtained student loans using stolen identities. FBI News, October, 2009

Science: Painful Stories Take a Toll on Military Therapists. Many of the patients who fill the day are bereft, angry, broken. The repeated stories of battle and loss can leave the most professional therapist numb or angry. New York Times, November, 2009

Technology: Operation Phish Phry - Major Cyber Fraud Takedown. Nearly 100 people were charged today in the U.S. and Egypt as part of Operation Phish Phry, one the largest cyber fraud phishing cases to date. FBI News, October, 2009

Law: Unanalyzed Evidence Held by Law Enforcement Agencies. More than 2,000 state and local law enforcement agencies responded to a survey to [1] estimate the number of unsolved homicide, rape and property cases nationwide that contain forensic evidence that has not been submitted to a crime laboratory for analysis and [2] to determine the existence of policies and procedures regarding the processing, submission to a lab and retention of forensic evidence. National Institute of Justice, 2009

Science: Justice at Last Arrest in 19-Year-Old Cold Case. In 1990, Jennifer Schuett was sexually assaulted and nearly killed. Now, 19 years later, there is an arrest in her case. FBI News, October, 2009

Technology: Paper Trail. Founded in 2000 in Palo Alto, California, with the slogan "Technology Serving Humanity," Benetech, the nonprofit organization has developed database software and statistical analysis techniques that have assisted ... Smithsonian Magazine, October, 2009

Law: Why Partnerships Matter In Cases Like 'Operation Knockout'. In his keynote address today, Mueller spoke not only about the threat of terrorism, but also about crime issues that may hit closer to home for many police chiefs and sheriffs, including the continued growth of violent gangs. FBI News, October, 2009

Science: Part 3: Hunting for 'Clandestine Burials'. A key element of training for FBI Evidence Response Teams is excavating burial sites while preserving potential evidence. FBI News, October 2009

Technology: Old Trick Threatens the Newest Weapons. Despite a six-year effort to build trusted computer chips for military systems, the Pentagon now manufactures in secure facilities run by American companies only about 2 percent of the more than $3.5 billion of integrated circuits bought annually for use in military gear. New York Times, 2009

Law: Teaching Cops to See. At New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Amy Herman schools police in the fine art of deductive observation. Smithsonian Magazine, October, 2009

Science: The Fatal Consequences of Counterfeit Drugs. In Southeast Asia, forensic investigators using cutting-edge tools are helping stanch the deadly trade in fake anti-malaria drugs. Smithsonian magazine, October 2009

Technology: F.B.I. Indicts Dozens in Online Bank Fraud. In what it is calling Operation Phish Phry, the F.B.I. began arresting 53 people on Wednesday on charges of conducting a vast financial fraud based on phishing — the act of tricking Internet users into revealing their passwords and other information. New York Times, 2009

Law: Taser makers say don't aim at chest. The maker of Taser stun guns has advised law enforcement agencies to avoid hitting suspects in the chest, partly "to minimize controversy." CNN.com Justice, 2009

Science: Tighter requirements on medical examiners are blocked in Texas. Governor Rick Perry vetoed a bill that would have given medical examiners the say-so on who can attend autopsies and required that they be trained in forensic and anatomic pathology. Star Telegram, 2009

Technology: Fingerprint Tech IDs Leonardo da Vinci. The ghost of a fingerprint in the top left corner of an obscure portrait appears to have confirmed an extraordinary art discovery: an unrecognized painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Peter Paul Biro, a Montreal-based forensic art expert, found the fingerprint while examining images captured by the revolutionary multispectral camera from the Lumière Technology company, Antiques Trade Gazette reports today. FOX news, 2009

Law: Judge Refuses to Punish Lawyer for Anti-RIAA Blogging. An attorney defending against a music-piracy lawsuit didn’t cross ethical bounds by filing motions broadly attacking the recording industry and posting them on his blog, a magistrate judge has ruled, rejecting demands from the RIAA for monetary sanctions. Wired, 2009

Science: Tighter requirements on medical examiners are blocked in Texas. Governor Rick Perry vetoed a bill that would have given medical examiners the say-so on who can attend autopsies and required that they be trained in forensic and anatomic pathology. Star Telegram, 2009

Technology: Universities Spar Over Disappearing Electronic Messages. In less than two months after a group of University of Washington computer researchers proposed a novel system for making electronic messages “disappear” after a certain period of time, a rival group of researchers based at the University of Texas at Austin, Princeton, and the University of Michigan, has claimed to have undermined the scheme. New York Times, 2009

Law: ‘Clear’ Security Service May Return at Airports. Verified Identity Pass, a company founded by the entrepreneur Steven Brill, offered travelers a tempting proposition: pay up to $199 a year, submit to a fingerprint and iris scan, and skip to the front of interminable airport security lines. New York Times, 2009

Science: Researcher who saved countless lives takes on big pharma — and pays the price. A judge overturns a big award and noted research done for the past two decades is in jeopardy ... St. Petersburg Times, 2009

Technology: Hackers Breach Payroll Giant, Target Customers. Information stolen from PayChoice, a New Jersey based payroll business, was recently used to target the company's clientele. Hackers contacted customers with instructions to download a plug-in for PayChoice's online services which actually was malicious software that would steal the victim's passwords and usernames ... Washington Post, 2009

Law: Arrest Over Software Illuminates Wall St. Secret. Mr. Aleynikov is accused of stealing software code from Goldman Sachs, his old employer. It is feared that the code could be used to “unfairly manipulate” stock prices. Is a criminal or civil suit more appropriate in cases of ultrafast computerized stock trading? New York Times, 2009

Science: Researcher who saved countless lives takes on big pharma — and pays the price. A judge overturns a big award and noted research done for the past two decades is in jeopardy ... St. Petersburg Times, 2009

Technology: Hackers Breach Payroll Giant, Target Customers. Information stolen from PayChoice, a New Jersey based payroll business, was recently used to target the company's clientele. Hackers contacted customers with instructions to download a plug-in for PayChoice's online services which actually was malicious software that would steal the victim's passwords and usernames ... Washington Post, 2009

Law: Arrest Over Software Illuminates Wall St. Secret. Mr. Aleynikov is accused of stealing software code from Goldman Sachs, his old employer. It is feared that the code could be used to “unfairly manipulate” stock prices. Is a criminal or civil suit more appropriate in cases of ultrafast computerized stock trading? New York Times, 2009

Science: DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show. Scientists in Israel have demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases. New York Times, 2009

Technology: French Courts to Admit Text Messages in Divorce Cases. Unfaithful spouses in France, beware: Passionate text messages sent to mistresses and lovers can now be used as evidence against you in a divorce. New York Times, 2009

Law: Trial by Fire: Did Texas execute an innocent man? Cameron Todd Willingham insisted on his innocence in the deaths of his children and refused an offer to plead guilty in return for a life sentence ... New Yorker, 2009

Science: DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show. Scientists in Israel have demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases. New York Times, 2009

Technology: Arrest Over Software Illuminates Wall St. Secret. Stealing software has suddenly become one of the most competitive and controversial on Wall Street. At its heart are computer programs that take years to develop and are treated as closely guarded secrets. New York Times, 2009

Law: Ruling Could Let Model Find, Sue Online Heckler. New York Supreme Court Judge Joan Madden ruled that a 37 year old model who had been lambasted in a blog titled "Skanks of NYC" has the right to identify the person heckling her online. Google turned over identifying information about the blog's creator ... CNN, 2009

Science: Army's Pathology Institute Defends Its Turf. Since the decision was made to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2011 as part of a federal base-closure program, there has been considerable confusion over whether the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) will also shut down ... Washington Post, August, 2009

Technology: Security Pros Are Focused on the Wrong Threats According to the SANS Institute, corporate information technology departments are prioritizing the wrong threats to their computer systems. Instead of focusing on the most common attacks hitting corporate networks and data on which vulnerabilities are most prevalent on company networks, the focus is on old problems. See: The Top Cyber Security, New York Times, 2009

Law: NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE MIDAIR COLLISION OVER THE HUDSON RIVER. In its continuing investigation of the midair collision of an air tour helicopter and a small plane over the Hudson River on Saturday, the NTSB has developed the following factual information ..." National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB Advisory, Washington, DC 20594, August, 2009

Science: Remains of Pilot Shot Down In Iraq Found, Navy Says. Pentagon pathologists used dental records to determine that newly found skeletal fragments and a jawbone belonged to the missing pilot. DNA testing is expected to confirm this conclusion. Washington Post, August, 2009

Technology: 3 Indicted in Theft of 130 Million Card Numbers The man who prosecutors said had masterminded some of the most brazen thefts of credit and debit card numbers in history was charged with the largest case of computer crime and identity theft ever prosecuted ... New York Times, 2009

Law: Blow for Indonesia as Militant Top Eludes Police. Noordin Mohammad Top, the Islamic militant credited with masterminding the recent attacks on the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, is not the same person shot and killed during a police raid in Central Java. Top fled the scene before law enforcement arrived ..." Reuters, 2009