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Tours  |
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Forensics:
Physical Anthropology
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Dr.
David Hunt,
Physical Anthropologist
Department of Anthropology
National Museum of Natural
History
Smithsonian Institution
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Our tour began as Dr. Hunt
led us through the Anthropology Department en route
to his lab. As we walked through the labyrinth of hallways, we saw floor
to ceiling collections of human busts and skeletal remains used for
various forms of testing such as DNA, diseases, bone structure, race
determination, etc.
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In the lab, Dr. Hunt began by showing a
variety of skulls, and explained how the differences between them help
determine the origin as it relates to race. Included in the
tour was how to determine the gender of a skeleton (look at the pelvic
size; woman are larger in order to accommodate the birth of a
child). We learned what factors are consider when a potential homicide case. |
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For instance, the overall condition of the
bones tells a scientist whether there was exposure to the elements for an
extended period of time. Damage to the bones
can be due to animals or some instrument such as a gun. If a
gun was used, the entrance and exit path of the bullet can be traced. Finally, when all else fails, dental records are very successful in
identifying the unknown skeleton. Another
interesting point during the tour was Dr. Hunt's insistence that returning
to the scene where the discovery was made is very important because law
enforcement officials often do not know what to look for and miss key
pieces of evidence that could help to determine who the person was or how
the crime was committed. |
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The
field of forensics is vast, and Dr. Hunt only had time to whet our
appetites to learn more. However, the knowledge that was shared with the group by this dynamic
scientist was informative and his presentation was thoroughly enjoyed by all who participated. |
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Agenda |
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