History of forensic science
History of forensic science
Forensic science is the application of science for the investigation of crimes and legal disputes. It has long roots in history, with the very first forensic techniques dating back to ancient civilizations.
A brief overview of the history of forensic science is given below:
- Ancient civilizations: In ancient civilizations like China, Egypt, and India, forensic science play a vital role to solve the For example, Chinese investigators used fingerprints to identify suspects in the 7th century.
- Middle Ages: During the Middle Ages in Europe, forensic science was used specifically to investigate homicides. In the 13th century, a Chinese book on forensic medicine was translated into Arabic, the first step to spreading forensic knowledge throughout the Middle East.
- 16th and 17th centuries: During the Renaissance, forensic science evolve its separate identity. It’s the very first use in a criminal investigation in Europe that occurred in the 16th century when a physician named Ambroise Paré used autopsy findings to help solve a murder case.
- 18th and 19th centuries: The development of new scientific techniques like fingerprinting and ballistics analysis helped to make forensic science more precise and reliable. The first police crime laboratory was established in Lyon, France in 19th
- 20th century: The 20th century is also knowns as the advancement era of forensic science, including the development of DNA analysis, which revolutionized criminal investigations. Today, forensic science has applications in various fields from criminal investigations to civil litigation and to the identification of human remains.
Overall, the history of forensic science is very deep-rooted and complicated also, but it continues to evolve and adopt new scientific techniques and technologies in its body.
Famous scientist in forensic chemistry
There are famous scientists who made significant contributions to the field of forensic chemistry. A few notable examples are given below:
- Paul Kirk: famous as the “father of criminalistics,”.He was the first to work in the field of forensic science and to make it a legitimate science.
- Barry K. Logan: Dr. Logan is a forensic toxicologist and has also been a leading researcher and developer of new techniques such as in the field of drug testing.
- Karl Landsteiner: he is known for his work in blood transfusion. Dr. Landsteiner’s contributions to the field of forensic chemistry cannot be forgotten. His work on the ABO blood grouping system is often used today in forensic investigations.
- Alfred Swaine Taylor: Dr. Taylor is considered one of the founders of forensic science, and he also shared his experience and wrote one of the first textbooks on the subject, “Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence.” He was to use the chemical analysis in forensic investigations.
These are just a few examples of the many famous scientists who have made significant contributions to nourish the field of forensic chemistry.