anthrax. In addition, 31 persons tested positive for exposure to B. anthracis spores”. However, thanks to advancements in PCR and whole-genome sequencing, scientists were able to collaborate with the FBI and were able to identify the source of the letter spores. Postmortem analysis “Post-mortem microbiology (PMM) aims to detect unexpected infections causing sudden deaths; confirm clinically suspected but unproven infection; evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy; identify emergent pathogens; and recognize medical errors. Additionally, the analysis of the thanatomicrobiome may help to estimate the post-mortem interval.”. There is currently an extensive amount of research being performed, most notably using the famous “body farms” throughout the United States, to determine if there is a consistent microbial decomposition “clock” that could be used by itself, or in conjunction with other techniques (such as forensic entomology) to help estimate postmortem intervals. One such group has made extensive headway into describing such a microbial clock, and “believes she’s within two to five years of testing her clock in a real crime scene scenario”. However, if a reliable and consistent microbial clock is determined to exist, “it’s too soon to know whether the microbial clock will pass scientific and legal muster,” (Beans) and “a judge would also have to determine that the microbial clock meets the standard for admission of expert testimony”. Water sample analysis In cases involving a body of water at or near the scene of a crime, a sample of the water can be extracted and analyzed under a light microscope for microorganisms. One such microorganism that are analyzed within samples of fresh water are diatoms, microscopic algae of varying shapes. Different bodies of water have been found to contain unique sets of diatoms and therefore, a piece of evidence found in a specific body of water will contain unique diatoms on it found only in that specific body of water. Therefore, the diatoms on a questioned object or body can be compared to the diatoms from a body of water to determine whether it had been present in the water. Current issues Sexual assault kit backlog Prior to DNA testing, many sexual assault cases could only rely on "he said, she said" and possible witnesses. Even once DNA analysis was available, many sexual assault kits, or SAKs, were never tested and thrown into a backroom or storage facility, only to be forgotten about until discovered. Now that DNA analysis is frequently