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upstart writes in with an IRC submission:

Forensic research proves that textile fibres can be transferred between clothing in the absence of contact:

Breakthrough forensic research at Northumbria University, Newcastle, has revealed for the first time that textile fibers can, under certain circumstances, be transferred between clothing in the absence of contact.

This new forensic discovery has not been demonstrated before and could have a major implication for fiber evidence in certain criminal cases.

Researchers within Northumbria University's Department of Applied Sciences have proved that contactless transfer of fibers between garments can be possible through airborne travel.

Because it has largely been assumed that fiber transfer only occurs when two surfaces touch, it is generally accepted in a case that two surfaces have, at some point, been in contact with each other. However, researchers at Northumbria University have revealed that under certain conditions, this is not necessarily always the case.

[...] The results of this study demonstrate that when certain strict conditions are met (i.e. time, sheddability of garment, proximity and confined space), airborne transfer of fibers can occur in forensic scenarios, and that these could be in potentially significant numbers for fiber types, such as cotton and polyester.

The results of this study define a set of circumstances that can be used as a baseline to evaluate the likelihood of an alleged activity being conducive to contactless transfer.

[...] [Dr. Ray Palmer] said: "This study was designed so that the experimental parameters were as conducive to contactless transfer as possible, whilst still maintaining a real-life scenario. Since there is a paucity of published studies relating to contactless transfer, the results obtained from this study will be useful to forensic practitioners as a baseline in evaluating how likely it is that a proposed activity or case circumstance has resulted in contactless transfer."

Journal Reference:
Kelly J. Sheridan, Evelina Saltupyte, Ray Palmer, et al. A study on contactless airborne transfer of textile fibres between different garments in small compact semi-enclosed spaces [$], Forensic Science International (DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110432)

Original Submission