The US security authorities have arrested three criminals suspected of committing old crimes after studying the genealogies found in the family tree featuring the genetic fingerprints of their relatives.
The researchers, led by Cece Moore, a genetic genealogist, have entered data of the DNA found in the scenes of the unsolved crimes, into databases containing publicly available genetic profiles in family tree search sites.
By comparing the genetic makeup of the suspects with the different genotypes of individuals in the family trees, the investigators managed to find their relatives and thus limited their names.
The security authorities had successfully determined the identity of the criminal Joseph DeAngelo in an old crime known as “Golden State Killer” on April 25. William Talbot, a truck driver, was arrested on May 15 for committing two crimes 30 years ago in Washington. On June 22, two other criminals were arrested: Gary Hartman for killing a 12-year-old boy in Tacoma in 1986, and Raymond Frees for killing a teacher at a school in Pennsylvania 25 years ago.
In another study. Norwegian scientists said they made a step closer towards understanding what causes human violence, after conducting experiments in which they injected mice with antibodies derived from the blood of criminals, murderers, rapists and gangsters.
Antibodies are proteins used by the immune system to fight harmful microbes, such as viruses and bacteria.
Researchers from the Akershus University Hospital in Oslo, found that the behavior of animals turned violent, and entered faster than usual in confrontations with peers.
The researchers extracted antibodies from 16 prisoners who committed violent crimes or sexual offenses. Then, they injected antibodies that interact with the hormone produced by the pituitary gland and directed to the adrenal gland. The most important role of this hormone is to stimulate the secretion of stress hormone cortisol. The introduction of criminals’ antibodies interfered with the secretion of the stress hormone, so the mice quickly attacked their peers.
Scientists said the role of the injected antibodies into mice was unclear. Lead Researcher Sergueï Fetissov said: "The violent effects emerged after the injection of antibodies, which differ in their characteristics between violent individuals and peaceful people. These antibodies may be the cause of the violence. "
Researchers, who published the results of their study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also studied 16 prisoners, 11 of whom committed at least one homicide, with all of them having sound mental health. Many ordinary people could carry such antibodies, without affecting their normal behavior, they said.
