Scientists study blood patterns in microgravity to solve space crimes

Researchers from Staffordshire University and the University of Hull carried out a series of experiments on a Zero Gravity Corporation-modified Boeing 727 parabolic aircraft.These types of tests may aid in investigating extraterrestrial crimes and accidents that could happen in a space station or shuttle. This emerging new field is known as astroforensics.“Studying bloodstain patterns can provide valuable reconstructive information about a crime or accident.

Blood droplets were ejected from a hydraulic syringe toward a target, like a paper. The blood drops were particularly released when the aircraft witnessed a gravity drop between 0.00 and 0.05 g. “With the lack of gravitational influence, surface tension and cohesion of blood droplets are amplified. What this means is that blood in space has a higher tendency to stick to surfaces until a greater force causes detachment,” said Graham Williams co-author from the University of Hull.

“On Earth, gravity and air drag have a noticeable influence on skewing the calculated angle. The initial hypothesis was that because of the absence of gravity, certain mathematical calculations would be more accurate. However, the amplified effect of surface tension became a predominant factor that caused the calculation to have greater variance, even in the absence of gravity,” Williams explained.

The inherent limitations of lower gravity in space provide additional hurdles to better understanding the behavior of evidence beyond Earth.

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