Blood, Bugs, and Plants

Blood, Bugs, and Plants explores several core biological areas that have influenced modern forensic science. Entomology ('bugs') is a specialty that uses knowledge about insect life cycles to inform death investigations. Botany ('plants') is a specialty that looks at plant materials as evidence in cases. Occupying the largest part of this book, the 'blood' section covers the identification of blood and body fluids (determining their origin as human or animal), DNA typing, and blood-spatter patterns.Each chapter in this new book provides an overview that briefly introduces readers to basic concepts in forensic science, allowing them to understand how this biological science sheds light on issues in legal cases.