Ask a Forensic Scientist anything

989 Questions

Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Ex branded my arm with writing . Heated something small and wrote name all over. Barley burns skin. Trying to make it stand out to take picture or somehow lift like finger print. I tried with finger dust powder from hobby store.???? any suggestions?

Asked by Larry almost 9 years ago

If you could possibly create different colored filters for your camera with transparent, colored films? That might enhance the writing. That's all I can think of, sorry!

845 Votes

if you could choose, would you rather work in a lab or on a crime scene?

Asked by kenia about 9 years ago

I like doing both, because being in the lab all the time can get tedious, but being at crime scenes all the time can get exhausting.

844 Votes

So you wanna be a Forensic Scientist?

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What's one of the weirdest cases you've worked?

Asked by Emily about 9 years ago

Unfortunately I can't really discuss that on a public forum. And they're all weird, in their way.

843 Votes

What's the most stressful part of being a Forensic scientist?

Asked by Sam over 9 years ago

Being 'on call' and knowing you can be interrupted at any moment of the day and have to go to a crime scene, even if it's the middle of the night or a holiday. Having to get up once or twice during the night after working 10-12 hours and knowing you have to work those hours for another day or two is pretty disheartening. I've also had to change vacations because I have to testify in a trial. I hate that.

843 Votes

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In a hanging subject dead can a swelling happen from a bang to head during the cutting down of the body. person dead for 45 mins or more

Asked by Joyce over 8 years ago

As far as I know that shouldn't happen because functions stop when the person dies, but that's really a question for a pathologist. I also don't know if swelling, depending upon where it is, might happen as a result of the hanging. Sorry I can't be more help.

842 Votes

What college classes would benefit a forensic degree best? Biology, Chemistry ?

Asked by Sarah over 8 years ago

That depends on what you want to go into. If you want toxicology, go with chemistry. If you want serology or DNA, go with biology. If crime scene, general forensic science.

841 Votes

What are the most common mistakes a killer/murderer that gets them caught?

Asked by bart white over 8 years ago

The vast, vast majority of people who kill people didn't plan to kill someone, so they often leave fingerprints, blood, witnesses, text messages, and then come up with some sort of story that sounded good in their head but wouldn't fool a 6 year old.

841 Votes