Ask a Forensic Scientist anything

989 Questions

Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Oh, also how can you tell if someone makes a new account?

Asked by Sam about 6 years ago

I don’t know.

Are you able to tell if a person was unconscious just before death after examining the body? For example if someone hit their head and knocked themselves unconscious before they actually died?

Asked by TS over 7 years ago

I don't believe so (in fact I believe I address this question during an autopsy scene in my book Perish) but you'd have to ask a pathologist. Sorry I can't help.

663 Votes

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Does this job ever depress, upset, disgust, or cause you anxiety? Does this job ever make your life a living hell?

Asked by Cillian over 6 years ago

No. Like any job it can be tiring and tedious at points, but the only time it makes me anxious is always due to bureaucratic issues, which, again, you’re going to have in any job.

662 Votes

I am complaining about a civil attorney. He was supposed to send me some photographs. He sent an envelope, said the photographs are enclosed, but they were not. He claims he sent them, and I lost them. Can the envelope be examined for residue?

Asked by Tom over 7 years ago

Almost certainly, no. Unlike television, real forensic equipment is designed to test for certain things. For example the mass spectrometer in the toxicology department is set to test for illegal narcotics and not heavy metals such as arsenic. If arsenic is suspected, it could be detected with a different instrument or different parameters programmed into the same instrument. So I doubt there is any equipment that could be set up to detect microscopic amounts of photographic chemicals, if a photo would even shed any.

661 Votes

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What is the education needed? The skills needed? The experience needed?

Asked by JaidenKBCL over 6 years ago

That depends entirely on where you want to work and what you want to do. If you want to do DNA analysis and testify in court about it, you may need a PhD in genetics. If you want to work at crime scenes bagging and tagging evidence, you may need only a high school diploma, with added hireability for advanced degrees. The only way to know is to check job opening notices or call the agencies and ask. Best of luck to you.

661 Votes

What does death smell like and why? Do different people smell different?

Asked by asdf about 6 years ago

It all depends on the circumstances of the death (fire victims can have a smoke smell, of course) but mostly the degree of decomposition. That's the only thing that makes a difference, otherwise everyone is the same.

660 Votes