Forensic anthropology

Forensic anthropologists face the challenge of sorting remains from commingled assemblages. This webinar examines how chemical signatures of bone can complement physical reassociation strategies. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) offers rapid, visually non-destructive analysis that acquires chemical information from bone. Statistical evaluation of chemical profiles taken across 1284 bones from 45 individuals reveals that physicochemical variation exists between individuals and, consequently, can be used to classify the bones.

Fractography is a tool for studying material failure. Analysis of cracks and fractures can reveal information about how, why, and where a fracture initiated and how a crack traveled, providing insight into the cause of failure. This webinar provides a basic introduction to forensic fractography of bone, which represents a new model for skeletal trauma that emphasizes understanding the cause of material failure rather than simply classifying fracture patterns.

This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on November 2, 2022.

This presentation introduces scoring procedures for dental morphological traits of the molars that can be employed in population affinity estimates for forensic anthropological casework. While common traits, such as shoveling and Carabelli’s trait, are briefly discussed, the focus on molar morphology promotes a greater understanding of informative, less commonly utilized traits that often preserve better in forensic case settings.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 8, 2023.