Australian geoboffins have zoomed in and enhanced CSI-style soil analysis: Bung it in a machine, find the crime scene

The University of Canberra and Australian Federal Police have detailed a new method for digging up dirt on crims – and it could mean an end to literally digging up dirt on crims. Anyone with half an eye on the screen when CSI or the like is blaring away will be familiar with the concept of soil analysis: samples of dirt found …

[Chris G]

Why on earth

Did they use simulated soil samples, is there a shortage of soil in Oz?

I would have thought using real samples would more quickly highlight problems or complexities.

[Cynic_999]

Re: Why on earth

I don't think it was the soil that was simulated. It was the fact that it was evidence from a crime scene or suspect that was simulated (i.e. it was gathered from shoes or clothing etc. then placed in an evidence bag in the same way that a CSI would have done so rather than being shovelled from the ground).

[I am David Jones]

You don’t need all these techno-shenanigans…

…you just need Benton Fraser to lick it

[Sir Awesome]

Re: You don’t need all these techno-shenanigans…

And now I'm having flashbacks to Black Books, watching Manny identify the beach from the sand in a holiday book...

[Neil Barnes]

Does it go 'bidibidibidibidi' while it's working

And beep when it's finished?

http://www.userfriendly.org/cartoons/archives/01jan/uf002622.gif

[Doctor Syntax]

On the basis of pollen analysis etc. of a sample from a body I could easily identify the ecological situation where the body had been hidden. After an hour or more's flying over S Armagh by chopper I still couldn't spot a single such location.

This stuff isn't as easy as people like to make out.