Episode 30: The Science of Solving Crimes

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Episode Description

The past must have been so weird. A comedian once made the observation that a killer’s blood at a crime scene used to be something that required a mop, not an evidence bag. How did people even solve crimes in the past? How do they do it now? Why were there monkeys involved? What on earth does it even mean to consider something forensic science? We’re serious about the monkeys. Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we talk about some of the science behind solving crimes, some of its earliest forms and how some of the most advanced techniques are being used today.

Additionally, there are some big announcements this week with the launching of the website, patreon, and public facebook group. We look forward to hearing from you all and working to better the podcast in the future.

References

Mar, J.; Police in Ancient Egypt. Ancient History Encyclopedia. 21-Jul-2017. https://www.ancient.eu/article/1104/police-in-ancient-egypt/

Sung, T., McKnight, B.; The Washing Away of Wrongs: Forensic Medicine in Thirteenth-Century Chine (Science, Medicine, and Technology in East Asia. 1247. ISBN: 978-0892648009

Dawson, L., Gannicliffe, C.; Managing the Myths – The CSI Effect in Forensic Science. 07-Nov-2017. Microbiology Society. https://microbiologysociety.org/publication/past-issues/microbiology-in-popular-culture/article/managing-the-myths-the-csi-effect-in-forensic-science.html

Crime Museum; Forensics at the OJ Simpson Trial. CrimeMuseum.org. https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/forensic-investigation-of-the-oj-simpson-trial/

Ng, A.; How China Uses Facial Recognition to Control Human Behavior. CNet. 11-Aug-2020. https://www.cnet.com/news/in-china-facial-recognition-public-shaming-and-control-go-hand-in-hand/

Arango, T., Goldman, A., Fuller, T.; To Catch a Killer: A Fake Profile on a DNA Site and a Pristine Sample. New York Times. 27-Aug-2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502192131/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/golden-state-killer-case-joseph-deangelo.html

Gilber, G.; A Trial of Witches: A Seventeenth-Century Witchcraft Prosecution. 1997. https://archive.org/details/trialofwitchesse0000geis

Associated Press; Casey Anthony Detectives Missed ‘Suffocation’ Search. USA Today. 25-Nov-2012. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/25/casey-anthony-suffocation-google/1725253/

Fox News. Cops Make Arrest in BTK Probe. FoxNews.com. 27-Feb-2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715092621/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/02/27/cops-make-arrest-in-btk-probe/

National Press Release; FBI Laboratory Announces Discontinuation of Bullet Lead Examinations. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 01-Sep-2005. https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-laboratory-announces-discontinuation-of-bullet-lead-examinations

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