1. Biological evidence (e.g., bodily fluids or tissues) found at crime scenes can be analyzed through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) typing. DNA is composed of two strands that wrap around each other to form a double helix. Which two scientists first proposed this double-helical structure: Wilson & Cricket; Watson & Holmes; Watson & Crick; Wilson & Crock?
Watson & Crick: The double-helical structure of DNA was first proposed in 1953 by James D. Watson and Francis H. C. Crick. They later received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their notable work.
2. Sherlock Holmes has been described as the first forensic detective (fictional, of course). In what story did Sherlock Holmes first say the famous expression: "Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary"
Trick question: Sherlock Holmes NEVER says this line in any of the 60 original "canonical" stories (56 short stories and 4 novels) written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The expression was used in later film versions and entered the public's imagination through that medium.
3. Whorl, loop, and arch are important terms used in forensic science. Why?
These are the three general pattern types found on fingerprints.
4. Name the city where the first positive identification of a criminal was made using a fingerprint?
Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1892, Juan Vucetich, an Argentine police official, made the first criminal fingerprint identification. He was able to identify a woman by the name of Rojas, who had murdered her two sons and cut her own throat in an attempt to place blame on another. Due to her unique bloody fingerprint left on a doorpost, Vucetich was able to prove that she was the murderer.
5. What is the technique that amplifies DNA sequences in laboratory cultures?
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). With the aid of PCR, DNA from samples as small as a single human hair can be amplified and analyzed to place an individual at the scene of a crime. This can also be used to accurately establish paternity.
6. The following terms are signs of death: algor mortis, livor mortis, pallor mortis, and rigor mortis. What do these terms indicate?
Algor mortis is the reduction of body temperature following death. Livor mortis is the discoloration of skin in the lower part of the body (due to gravitational pooling of blood) after death. Pallor mortis is a postmortem paleness, particularly of the face and lips. Rigor mortis is the stiffening of the body following death.
7. What is CODIS?
CODIS is the "Combined DNA Index System", an electronic national DNA index for law enforcement purposes, formally established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1994.
8. Do identical twins have identical fingerprints?
No. Although their DNA is virtually indistinguishable, fingerprints are not an entirely genetic characteristic. Thus, fingerprints of identical twins will be similar, but NOT identical. Factors that determine the ultimate shape of fingerprints include environmental factors during pregnancy, like nutrition, blood pressure, position in the womb, and the growth rate of the fingers at the end of the first trimester..
9. Name one of the two books written by Mark Twain that involve the use of fingerprint identification?
In Life on the Mississippi (1883), a murderer is identified by the use of fingerprints. The later book, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), includes a courtroom drama involving fingerprint identification.
10. The television drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, has helped to popularize the use of forensic science in criminal investigations. What is the theme song to this TV series?
"Who Are You", performed by the rock band The Who and written by Pete Townshend.
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