How pigs could help find missing Mexican drug cartel victims
Why are scientists putting pigs in clothes then burying them in Mexico?
- Scientists in Mexico are employing innovative methods, including using pigs as proxies for human remains, to locate over 130,000 people missing due to drug cartel violence.
- The research involves simulating various disposal methods on dead pigs, such as dressing, wrapping, dismembering, burying, and incinerating them, to meticulously observe decomposition.
- These pig studies are integrated with advanced satellite, geophysical, and biological mapping techniques, aiming to provide crucial clues for finding clandestine graves.
- The crisis of disappearances escalated significantly after 2006, with cartels making people vanish due to impunity and authorities often being overwhelmed or complicit.
- While the technology is still being tested and results are not expected for at least three years, the project represents a collaborative effort between Mexican and international institutions to address a pressing humanitarian issue.