UNH Today

Secondary DNA Transfer Could Lead to Wrongful Convictions

“Touch DNA” is deposited on everyday objects we touch. But what happens when a second person touches that same object and then transfers your DNA to something you never directly touched — like a murder weapon? In a study, a UNH forensics researcher found secondary transfer of another person’s DNA, which could lead to wrongful convictions, occurred in 50% of trials.

Monitoring Marsh Transformations with Drones

UNH researchers are relying on unoccupied aerial vehicles — more commonly called drones —to monitor shifts in New England’s salt marshes, indicating changes in the health and longevity of these critical ecosystems. They share their findings in a new study in the journal Remote Sensing.

Alternative Syrups

The iconic maple is getting some competition: UNH researchers are tapping non-maple trees like birch and beech to explore how these alternative syrups might give producers more economic resilience and provide important ecosystem benefits.

UNH to Support New Hampshire’s Division of Parks and Recreation Management Plan

A remarkable 90% of Granite Staters engage in outdoor recreation each year, one of the key findings of a report UNH researchers prepared for New Hampshire’s Division of Parks and Recreation to help quantify the state’s $2.7 billion outdoor recreation industry.

Paul College Researchers Use AI to Evaluate Health News Quality

Could machine learning models help the public better judge the quality of the health news they consume? Recent research by two UNH professors suggests they can.  

Snow Depth is a Key Factor in Regional Fox Populations

Red foxes coexist surprisingly well with coyotes, perhaps because they feed on their scraps, new UNH research finds. But deep snow is associated with decreased fox populations, perhaps because it inhibits their ability to move around.

Funding News: Machine Learning to Predict Solar Weather

Can machine learning, an application of AI, help us understand and predict potentially destructive solar weather? New grants from NASA and the National Science Foundation will help UNH researchers find out.

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