Forensics aka Medical Jurisprudence

Forensic Science, aka Medical Jurisprudence and commonly called forensics, has a broad range of uses. Events in the world today dictate that forensic teams monitor certain countries for compliance with international agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention, and to learn if a country is developing secret nuclear weapons.

The most common use of forensic science is to investigate criminal cases involving a victim: crimes ranging from assault and robbery, to kidnapping, rape, or murder. If you watch CSI or BONES, you are familiar with the various departments within a forensics lab, including pathology, toxicology, and odontology - the study of teeth.

My favorite “ologist” is the forensic anthropologist, who is trained to determine height, weight, sex, and ethnic group of a deceased person - from body parts. The anthropologist can read marks on bones that indicate past injuries and diseases suffered by the individual. Investigators can identify a body by comparing the forensic anthropologist’s findings to old X-rays and medical history of a missing person.

It is fascinating to watch as the forensic expert takes a skull, adds markers to specific surfaces, and slowly builds a complete and identifiable face.

What’s your favorite "ology?