Recent Advances in Human Taphonomy and Postmortem Interval Estimation
A special issue of Forensic Sciences (ISSN 2673-6756).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 24
Special Issue Editors
Interests: forensic anthropology; biological anthropology; juvenile age estimation; taphonomy of immature bone; infant and child trauma; ethics and professional practice
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent developments in analytical techniques have opened new avenues for improving time-since-death estimation (i.e., postmortem interval—PMI). However, variability in decomposition rates due to climate, depositional environments, and intrinsic factors continues to be a challenge. Thus, this Special Issue will showcase interdisciplinary research that addresses the complex interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic factors through empirical studies, methodological innovations, and theoretical frameworks.
We welcome submissions that explore the following:
- Intrinsic and extrinsic variables in human decomposition and preservation;
- Experimental and field-based taphonomic research using human or proxy models;
- Novel approaches to PMI estimation.
Potential authors are encouraged to submit original research articles, reviews, and case studies that contribute meaningfully to this evolving field.
By bringing together distinct perspectives and methodologies, this Special Issue will foster collaboration within forensic sciences and among related fields. Our goal is to highlight cutting-edge research that not only improves PMI accuracy but also deepens our understanding of human postmortem processes that can assist varying forensic investigations.
We look forward to your participation and receiving your contributions in this Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Hugo Cardoso
Guest Editor
Dr. Angela Silva-Bessa
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forensic Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- human taphonomy
- forensic anthropology
- decomposition chemistry
- crime scene investigation
- soil science
- forensic toxicology
- time-since-death estimation
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