A technique originally devised to extract DNA from woolly mammoths and other ancient archaeological specimens can be used to potentially identify badly burned human remains, according to a new study from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
The research is published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.
Fire victims may be identified through dental records if the teeth are preserved and such records exist. Frequently, DNA testing is the only way to identify badly burned bodies. Researchers can extract usable DNA from bones subjected to conditions between 200 and 250 degrees Celsius; between 350 and 550 degrees, there is a steep drop-off in the concentration of DNA.
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