Genes can pinpoint the time of death of crime victims to within close to an HOUR in major CSI breakthrough

• Forensics teams currently work out time of death using their body temperature
• However, scientists say genes may provide a better way to pinpoint a death time
• New research in Barcelona identified 187 important genes after death to do this

Genetic clocks that begin ticking after someone dies could help CSI teams better pinpoint time of death. 

Forensics teams currently work out when someone has died using their body temperature, which falls by 1.5°C (2.7°F) an hour.

They can also guess it based on rigor mortis or using insects around the corpse.

But a new study claims genes could provide a simpler way to pinpoint a time of death to within close to an hour.

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Murder investigations could be easier in future, as clues in our genes reveal time of death within close to an hour. Forensics teams currently work out when someone has died using their body temperature, which falls by 1.5°C (2.7°F) an hour

Scientists have found a 'cascade' of genetic changes which happen when we die, which fuel the death of cells in the body and the shutdown of the immune system.

The clearest readings come from the skin, thyroid, subcutaneous fat and lungs, as genes no longer need to ferry oxygen from the lung to the rest of the body.

The researchers, who examined genes in 129 dead bodies, say they came up with a time of death accurate to within 63.75 minutes. 

They say the method could be a 'powerful tool', noting that current forensic techniques may be unreliable and inaccurate.

However researchers, led by the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, stress that their findings have not yet been proven to work beyond 24 hours after death.

Lead author Dr Pedro Ferreira, from the University of Porto in Portugal, said: 'We found that many genes change expression over relatively short post-mortem intervals, in a largely tissue specific manner.

'This information helps us to better understand variation and also it allows us to identify the transcriptional events triggered by death in an organism.'

Changes in the genes begin as soon as someone dies, with the most obvious ones seen between seven and 14 hours later.

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Tissues in the body respond in different ways, with the brain showing little change whereas the best readings come from the lungs and thyroid, amongst other things. The researchers say the method has not yet been proven to work beyond 24 hours after death (stock)

While there are few immediate changes in areas of the body such as the spleen and the brain's cerebellum, big changes are seen in the muscle and colon for example.

The study looked at gene expression – the process by which the instructions in our genes are converted into a functional product, like a protein.

They identified 187 important genes after death, including the HBA1 and HBA2 genes which transport oxygen from the lungs and change their behaviour after someone stops breathing.

Working out the time of death is described as a 'problem of central importance' in the study, which is published in the journal Nature Communications.

The authors add: 'Traditional methods for this task rely on physical modifications observed on the body, including algor, livor and rigor mortis. However these approaches may be unreliable or inaccurate.'

Rigor mortis, where the muscles stiffen or relax after death, provides the current best time of death.

But the new genetic method uses tissue which is easily available, offering more options in crime cases where remains are found instead of a whole body. 

HOW CAN GENES PINPOINT THE TIME OF DEATH? 

Genes may help pinpoint a crime victim's time of death, scientists claim.  

Researchers recently looked at 9,000 samples from 36 different type of bodily tissue from donated cadavers.

For each sample, the scientists knew how long had passed between death and the preservation of the body.   

Researchers found that after death, different tissues responded in a wide variety of ways.

Some genes, for example, can continue to work for up to four days in a last-ditch attempt to save their cells - despite the death of the host. 

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Some genes can continue to work for up to four days in a last-ditch attempt to save their cells - despite the death of the host. Researchers use levels of RNA to see better determine a cause of death (stock)

While the clearest readings come from the skin, thyroid, subcutaneous fat and lungs, the readings for the spleen and brain changed very little after death.

To find out how gene expression changed once a person had died, the research team compared blood samples ante-mortem (before death) and post-mortem (after death). 

By doing this, the researchers found a 'cascade' of genetic changes that fuel the death of cells in the body and the shutdown of the immune system.

These cascades involved a chemical called RNA, a molecule which is very similar to DNA, but does not form the famous double-helix structure.

RNA is heavily involved in turning our genetic code into usable materials, such as proteins. 

In order to gain an idea of activity decrease in the different tissues of the body after death, researchers looked at the levels of RNA.

They found the decrease in RNA levels was consistent and could be used to accurately trace back to the time of death.  

Although it isn't ready to be used in the field yet, the levels of RNA were found to be consistent across several different corpses. 

Scientists believe they can use these readings to predict time of death to within an hour. 

However researchers, led by the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, stress that their findings have not yet been proven to work beyond 24 hours after death. 

Inside the body... and out of this world: From a crying baby and cancer cells to Orion Nebula and chameleon embryo, amazing images from world of science The human nervous system revealed: Incredible 100-year-old dissection that took 1,500 HOURS to create shows the body's inner workings in stunning detail Two med students in Missouri dissected a body in 1925 but kept its nervous system in one piece It took them 1,500 hours over the course of one year, and their finished product is on display in Missouri Only four dissections of this kind exist; the other three are in Washington, DC, Thailand and Philadelphia The identity of the body the nervous system came from is unknown, but the remains were valued at $1 million A nervous system that was dissected nearly 100 years ago is now the subject of a stunning display at a museum in Missouri. The organ system was revealed after two med students, L.P. Ramsdell and M.A. Schalck, were handed a cadaver in 1925 and told to dissect it. They began at the brain's base and worked their way down, managing to keep the system in one piece. It took Ramsdell and Schalck 1,500 hours over the course of many months to dissect the body, according to Live Science. +4 Two med students in Missouri dissected a body in 1925 and worked on it for 1,500 hours to keep its nervous system intact. The result (pictured) can be found at the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri The result is on display at the Museum of of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, where the body was dissected. The museum is run by the A.T. Still University (ATSU).The identity of the person whose nervous system is on display is unknown. Museum director Jason Haxton told Live Science that the body likely came from a poor house or a prison. These two were the main resources for people seeking medical cadavers in 1925. But the person's remains have turned out to be pricey: Haxton told Live Science that the nervous system exhibit's estimated value was $1 million a decade ago. He said of the exhibit: 'Medical students come into the museum and stare at it in amazement. Sometimes, they'll run in after a test to check their work. People familiar with dissection say this is truly a miracle piece.' The experiment came about when Ramsdell and Schalck's work stood out after each person in their class had to dissect an arm. +4 +4 The identity of the person the nervous system belonged to is unknown. But their remains have been valued at $1 million. According to the experts, only three similar dissections exist 'These two students' dissections were so detailed and so much better than any other students' that they were chosen to dissect an entire body,' Haxton explained. Ramsdell and Schalck started at the brain stem and went down from there, cutting through the skin, protective tissue and muscle to reveal the spinal cord while clearing nerve fibers. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM? +4 The nervous system is different from other organ systems because it does a variety of vital jobs at the same time (file photo) The central nervous system is made up of the spinal cord, optic nerves and brain.  The nervous system is different from other organ systems because of the amount of functions it is responsible for. Most systems control only one function while the nervous system is in charge of many vital functions that occur at once. It is responsible for a number of processes, including thought, movement and the registration of sensations within the body. All voluntary movement, including speech and walking, occurs thanks to the nervous system. But it also controls involuntary movements, such as breathing and blinking. In addition to this, the system plays a hand in our emotions. It is also better protected than other organ systems in the body. Spinal column and skull bones protect the system and create a physical barrier around it. The syrnix, which is a space below these bones that is filled with fluid, provides shock absorbance. 'After they cleared each nerve, they rolled them in cotton batting soaked in some kind of preservative. So, as they worked their way down, there was just a mass of little rolls of cotton,' Haxton said. The preservative chemicals used during the experiment are unknown. Ramsdell and Schalck mounted the system, which took one year to dissect, on a piece of shellacked wood.  They put hundreds of labels on the display, and the finished product made its way to museums and medical conferences around the US. Haxton said that only three similar dissections exist. Eleven years after Ramsdell and Schalck began their now world famous dissection, ATSU researchers duplicated their experiment and donated the nervous system to the Smithsonian Institution. Wonders on show at International Images for Science Exhibition include coffee bean cell walls and mouse foetus The exhibition, by the Royal Photographic Society, is on UK tour before heading to Europe Cutting-edge technology provides amazing views from inside the human body A mosquito's antenna, a falling sycamore seed - and incredible internal shots of the human body: these images show the wonders of science from around the world and beyond. Selected for the Royal Photographic Society’s latest exhibition, they highlight the beauty of scientific research. Among the pictures on display at the International Images for Science Exhibition 2013 - which showcases the work of 54 scientists - are dividing cancer cells, a bat embryo, gallstones, the cell wall of a coffee bean and, from slightly further afield, the Orion Nebula. This photo of a crying baby forms part of the International Images for Science Exhibition 2013, organised by the Royal Photographic Society Brains, veins and bones as you've never seen them: Scanner reveals gruesome, high-definition images of the human body Next-generation GE scanners are being used by doctors in Florida They hope to make medical scanning cheaper, easier and more accurate Dubbed 'Revolution CT', the scanners beam x-rays through a patient's body from which a computer reconstructs a detailed image, slice by slice Technology can build an image of a complete heart in a single heartbeat Guts, veins, brains and hearts have been revealed in gruesome detail using next-generation body scanners. The GE scanners, used by doctors in Florida, are currently involved in their first clinical trial aimed at making the process of medical scanning cheaper and easier. Dubbed 'Revolution CT', they beam x-rays through a patient's body from which a computer can reconstruct a high-definition image, slice by slice. Scroll down for video Shown here is a high-definition image of the skull and the Circle of Willis - a structure which supplies blood to the brain and surrounding area The Buckinghamshire-based healthcare group claims that the scanner can build an image of a complete heart in just a single heartbeat. The images and GIFS show the insides of a group of patients at West Kendall Baptist Hospital in south Florida, which is the first ever hospital to use the scanner. The technique is known as X-ray computer tomography and is often used in hospitals to look for tumours, bone fractures and bleeding. The GE scanners, used by doctors in Florida, are currently involved in their first clinical trial. Pictured is image of the abdomen and the aorta A foot reinforced with screws. The images and GIFS show the insides of a group of patients at West Kendall Baptist Hospital in south Florida +8 The screw here can be clearly seen in a patient's foot.  Dubbed 'Revolution CT', they beam x-rays through a patient's body from which a computer can reconstruct a high-definition image, slice by slice +8 +8 Pictured are high-definition images of the skull and the Circle of Willis, which supplies blood to the brain HOW DOES REVOLUTION CT WORK? The scanners beam x-rays through a patient's body from which a computer can reconstruct a high-definition image, slice by slice. GE claims that the scanner can build an image of a complete heart in just a single heartbeat. This is because it uses high-resolution and motion correcting technology similar to the image stabilisation features in personal cameras. Because it can scan faster, it can scan far more accurately, capturing clear images of moving organs. While they are safe for patients who have pacemakers or metal inside their body, they require them to stay very still while the imaging is taking place. But GE's scanners are different. The Revolution uses high-resolution and motion correcting technology similar to the image stabilisation features in personal cameras. Because they can scan faster, they can scan far more accurately, capturing clear images of moving organs. The team at West Kendall Baptist Hospital recently completed the world's first six-month clinical trial of the Revolution CT machine. Local doctors said they were able to diagnose even the most challenging cardiac patients with erratic or high heartbeats and reduce the radiation dose for paediatric patients. 'According to our physicians, patient feedback about their experience with the Revolution CT has been uniformly positive,' said West Kendall Baptist Hospital CEO Javier Hernández-Lichtl. 'The advanced design definitely makes for a less intimidating, more comfortable patient experience, while yielding amazingly accurate and detailed images.' GE Revolution CT Scanners redefine what's possible with CT   +8 The chest cavity with a side view of the heart. Local doctors said they were able to diagnose even the most challenging cardiac patients with erratic or high heartbeats using the new technique Another view of the Circle of Willis. It is located at the base of the brain and forms a circle of arteries around it +8 The pelvis and the aorta are seen here in spectacular detail.  Because the technologycan scan faster, it can scan far more accurately, capturing clear images of moving organs. The Buckinghamshire-based healthcare group claims that the scanner can build an image of a complete heart in just a single heartbeat +8 The rib cage, the heart and the chest cavity.  West Kendall Hospital CEO Javier Hernández-Lichtl said: 'The advanced design definitely makes for a less intimidating, more comfortable patient experience, while yielding amazingly accurate and detailed images' +8 +8 The technique is known as X-ray computer tomography and is often used in hospitals to look for tumours, bone fractures and bleeding. Pictured are two different view s of the rib cage Incredible views of the human body are now possible through sophisticated scientific instruments such as fibre optics, endoscopes, microscopes, telescopes, stereo microscopes and ophthalmoscopes The show features works by 54 scientists from around the world Here, thermal imaging has been used on a subject to dazzling effect Selected for the society's latest exhibition, which is touring the UK and rest of Europe, the images highlight the incredible beauty of scientific research Photography skills play a crucial role in medicine, forensic science, engineering, archaeology, oceanography, natural history and many more areas. Dr Michael Pritchard, director general of the Royal Photographic Society, said: 'The society was founded in 1853 to promote the art and science of photography and we’ve been doing just that ever since. ‘We held the first International Images for Science exhibition in 2011 and it went down extremely well.'  The application of photography to science is almost as old as photography itself. This alien-looking configuration is actually dividing cancer cells (by Volker Brinkmann) This remarkable image shows the interior cell walls of a coffee bean A close-up of gallstones, caused when cholesterol level in our bile is too high, and excess cholesterol is turned into stones The Dusty Spectacle of Orion, 2013, by Robert Hurt, Caltech, US. The nebula is pictured in infra-red and colour-coded according to wavelength. The data was captured by the Nasa Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft Beauveria bassiana, 2012, by Nicole Ottawa, Reitlingen, Germany. This, believe it or not, is the base of a mosquito's antenna. The image is from a scanning electron micrograph, and has been digitally coloured The skeleton of a chameleon embryo, by Dorit Hockman As early as 1872, Eadweard Muybridge, a British-born photographer, used photography to study and analyse motion in horses. Since then, by using invisible radiation, new techniques and methods of photography have arisen.   This has happened, for example, through sophisticated scientific instruments such as fibre optics, endoscopes, microscopes, telescopes, stereo microscopes and ophthalmoscopes. ‘Gone are the days when we were restricted to 1000 ISO emulsion sensitivity,’ said Dr Afzal Ansary, exhibition co-ordinator. Among the startling images on show is this mouse foetus Extreme close-up view of the head of a Yellow Paper wasp by Daniel Kariko. Many species build their nests on human habitation, while not normally aggressive paper wasps will defend their nests vigorously. This image is part of a series investigating our often-overlooked housemates Triple exposure image showing a seed falling from a Sycamore tree by Adrian Davies, Surrey. This image was created in three exposures; the first with flash to show the leaves and seeds, the next a half-second exposure showing the spiralling fall and the last a flash exposure to freeze the seed at the bottom of its descent ‘Today, DSLR cameras with full frame sensors have the ability to process images that reduce noise in low light conditions. 'We have CCD sensors, sensitive to much higher ISO sensitivities which can yield usable images. ‘We used to say that, “if you can see it, it can be photographed” and now we say, “even if you cannot see it, we most likely can photograph it”.’ The International Images for Science exhibition is currently on a tour of the UK before heading to Europe. Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins on an ice floe near Danko Island in the Antarctic by David Doubilet. The photographer observed them pushing each other off the floe and swimming in the water as if playing a game of tag Weevil found on front porch doormat by Daniel Kariko. There are over 40,000 species of true weevils in the family Circulionidae, beetle-like creatures typified by a long snout and clubbed antennae The left image shows the collision of two water droplets beneath a bursting soap bubble by Greg Parker, Hampshire. The image was captured using a Canon 5D Mark II SLR camera and a xenon flash unit with an exposure time of 9 microseconds. The right image unique fishbone pattern is created by two colliding steams of liquids by Ted Kinsman.  The pattern is currently the focus of scientists studying the strange world of fluid dynamics Coloured scanning electron micrograph of a Leafcutter Ant holding a gear from a micromechanical device by Manfred P Kage. The gear is about 0.1mm wide Human cortical neurons with interconnecting dendrites, 4,200X by David Scharf. Cortical Neurons make up the brain's cortex which in part makes up the cerebral cortex, responsible for memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness 3D reconstruction of a glass model of a jellyfish, imaged using X-rays in a micro-CT scanner by Dan Sykes, Natural History Museum. The artificial colours used here are based on the density of the glass. This incredible model was sculpted in glass in the mid-19th Century by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. The techniques used by this father and son team are not fully understood, it is hoped that this study will help reveal some of their secrets A porcelain crab feeding inside the safety of its host Pocillopora coral branches by Louise Murray from London. It is lit by the bright green fluorescence of the coral. These are normally very shy creatures and are difficult to photograph Light micrograph of a mouse embryo, approximately 10.5 days post-fertilisation by Jim Swoger. The specimen was stained with a fluorescent marker that highlights the presence of precursor cells to nerve tissue then chemically treated to make it optically transparent Our hidden world: Photographs reveal the bizarre beauty of objects - such as knives and cigarette butts - when put under a microscope The images were taken as part of a competition by Oregan-based imaging company, FEI, and National Geographic They include a cigarette filter, a mosquito, a close up of a curry plant and an immune cell in the human body Winners will be shown in National Geographic’s ‘Mysteries of the Unseen World’ film which debuts November 8 2013 You tap your cigarette, rearrange the flowers and head to the kitchen to make dinner. These everyday actions, using ordinary objects, are so common in our lives that our brains skim over the smallest details. But what if you held a microscope up to the unseen world? What kind of perspective would we get on common objects around us? FEI's instrument owners were invited to submit their best images for inclusion in National Geographic promotional materials for its giant screen film 'Invisible Worlds'. This view of a cigarette filter, revealing cellulose acetate fibers, was the May winner in the 'Around the House' category That's exactly what an annual image contest organised by FEI, an Oregon-based imaging company, alongside National Geographic, aims to find out. These images, taken as part of a competition to capture the unseen world, aim to shift our perspective of common objects by placing them under a new light. FEI’s instrument owners were invited to submit their best images for inclusion in National Geographic promotional materials for its giant screen film ‘Invisible Worlds’. Marcos Rosado was awarded first place for this image of an Acacia Dealbata flower. Mr Rosado said he picked the bloom from a tree in his parents' garden The mouth parts of the aquatic third-stage larva of an Asian tiger mosquito are seen at 800 x magnification. The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. The image was taken by Riccardo Antonelli Barcelona-based Marcos Rosado, an electron microscopy specialist, was awarded first place in the 2013 FEI Image Contest for his entry ‘Acacia Dealbata Flower’. ‘I was in the garden of my parents' house admiring the Acacia Dealbata,’ recalled Mr Rosado. ‘I noticed a little ball hanging from a branch of the tree which was going to be a flower in a few days. ‘It seemed to have some beautiful yellow spots into it, so I decided to take it and have a look at it in the microscope. ‘What I discovered is that it, as I supposed, was an Acacia Dealbata flower about to open. It was really beautiful.’ Categories for this year's image contest were designed to be more consumer friendly and included 'The Natural World', 'The Human Body', and 'Around the House'. This image of dendritic cells (immune cells) stimulated with silicon microparticles was the July winner in 'The Human Body' category This extreme close-up image of a Helichrysum italicum flower with pollen grains was the June winner in the 'Natural World' category. Helichrysum iltalicum is also known as the curry plant, because of the strong smell of its leaves and grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean This photo of bacterial nanocables that were found in Denmark's Aarhus Bay was the July winner in the 'Natural World' category. Bacterial nano cables are electrically conductive systems produced by a number of bacteria Categories for this year's image contest were designed to be more consumer friendly and included 'The Natural World', 'The Human Body', and 'Around the House'. Highlights include an image by Riccardo Antonelli of the mouth parts of the aquatic third-stage larva of an Asian tiger mosquito are seen at 800 x magnification. The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. Another image shows, which shows extreme close-up image of a Helichrysum italicum flower with pollen grains, was the June winner in the 'Natural World' category. Helichrysum iltalicum is also known as the curry plant, because of the strong smell of its leaves and grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean A view of a cigarette filter, revealing cellulose acetate fibers, is shown as the May winner in the 'Around the House' category. Green-tinted false arms, also known as pseudopods, are shown from a human fibroblast cell over silica microparticles in this photo. A pseudopod is a temporary projection seen in some cells, including amoebas and white blood cells. Its function is to help the cell move This photo reveals the fracture surface of a snap-off blade after breaking off one of the segments This photo shows silicon nanowires that were grown on copper foil with gold on top, through a process known as chemical vapor deposition. These nanowires will be used to manufacture anodes for lithium-ion batteries One entry imaged incredibly detailed green-tinted false arms, also known as pseudopods, shown from a human fibroblast cell over silica microparticles. A pseudopod is a temporary projection seen in some cells, including amoebas and white blood cells. Its function is to help the cell move. Cyril Geudj meanwhile used an FEI Strata scanning transmission electron microscope to create an incredible image simply titled 'The Web'. This image is an extremely high magnification image of a grid he uses to grow samples for observation. Winners of FEI’s ‘Explore the Unseen’ image contest in partnership with National Geographic’s ‘Mysteries of the Unseen World,’ debuts November 8 2013. This photo of Torilis arvensis, more commonly known as spreading hedge parsley, was the July winner in the 'Other Relevant Science' category Created by Cyril Geudj using an FEI Strata scanning transmission electron microscope, and simply titled 'The Web', an extremely high magnification image of a grid he uses to grow samples for observation A microscopic image of a head lice gripping onto two human hairs. This image was the May winner in 'The Human Body' category