What is Forensic Science?
You might think of forensics as one single scientific field, but it’s actually a combination of applied sciences used for the purpose of solving crimes.
There’s evidence all around you!
Here are a few types:
• Prints and markings (fingerprints, tire prints, foot prints)
• Blood splatter/DNA
• Pollen
• Chemicals in blood and body fluids
• Hairs and fibers
• Bugs living on dead bodies
Any of these and more can be used to reconstruct crime scenes and point to the criminals.
Forensics @ home – you can collect evidence wherever you are
Fingerprinting – use this tutorial to learn how to take your own finger prints and compare them to your friends.
http://www.cyberbee.com/whodunnit/prints.html
Chromatography – watch this video to learn how to test pens and markers to see if they match the criminals note.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/tv/index.php?project=74&program=951&type=clip
Forensics in the field – leave these to the experts
Blood splatter – gooey, grisly, and gory.
Background - http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/tte_bloodstain_analysis.htm
Autopsies – let the body do the talking.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/science/health-human-body-sci/human-body/real-csi-sci/
Try it out
See what it’s like to solve a crime using forensic science, CSI style
http://forensics.rice.edu/index.html
Want to learn more? Check out this Massively Open Online Course (MOOC). It’s completely free and self-paced.
http://gps.stevenson.edu/log/mooc/