1. Objective
Describe Forensic Anthropology and how it is used to solve crimes.

2. Warm-Up: Video http://www.hulu.com/watch/474025#i0,p0,d0
As you watch the video, write down key words/identifiers of victim’s age.

3. Forensic Anthropology
Let the bones tell the story!
Image:
Presentation developed by T. Trimpe

4. What role do anthropologists play in solving crimes?
Watch the video and then answer the questions.
What does a physical anthropologist investigate?
What four things do we want to know about a skeleton?
What bones are most useful for developing a profile of a person? Explain how they are used.

5. HOW MANY BONES ARE IN THE ADULT HUMAN BODY?
206

6. What is bone?
Living tissue made of cells within a matrix of protein (mostly collagen) and minerals (calcium and phosphorous)
The skeleton is one part of the body that takes the longest to decay
Bones can last for 100s to 1,000s of years
Source:

7. Simple Composition of Bones
Outer layer: smooth, compact bones
Inner layer: spongy, porous bone
Bone Marrow – responsible for producing red & white blood cells
Red blood cells carry oxygen to our muscles and organs; white blood cells are responsible for fighting bacteria. Stores and releases fat for energy when needed.
Left femur (thigh bone), coronal section Image courtesy of: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Source:

8. More Accurate Composition of Bones
Clues for determining age lie within the Epiphysis:
Articular Cartilage – protects bones from rubbing against one another – arthritis occurs when the bone molds with the cartilage and bones begin to rub against each other.
Diaphysis doesn’t have cartilage
Source;

9. Determining Age - Epiphysis
Ossification of cartilage creates bone
Calcium is used to turn cartilage into bone – once you are done growing, you have a denser bone in the epiphysis
Source:

10. Technology for Determining Age
An x-ray image (radiograph) of a child will reveal a dark area where the growth plates are still made of cartilage (more x-rays can pass through cartilage, which is less dense, thus making a dark area); these areas are the epiphyseal plates. 
An x-ray radiograph of an adult will reveal a white area where the growth plates have been turned into bone (fewer x-rays can pass through bone, which is more dense, thus making a white line); these areas are the epiphyseal lines. 

11. Circle the Appropriate Answer
Epiphyseal Plate   or   Line
Adult   or   Child

12. Facts about Aging Normal growth stops around Age 17-25
Clavicle is last bone to stop growing (age 25)
Tibia completes growth by:
Age (female)
Age (male)
Clavicle. Image courtesy of: Smithsonian Institution
Source:

13. Determining Age Children Adults Teeth are best age indicator
Higher presence of cartilage in epiphysis
Length of long bones is good indicator for estimation of age
Pelvis best age indicator
Cranium, pubic bone and rib ends hold information to determine age
Osteons – smaller osteons
Cranial sutures
Arthritis
Source:

14. Like Fingerprints… just can’t be seen until antemortem
Examine the image below to see how the fontanels, described above, grow and fuse with the other bones to form the sutures.  Although these sutures are as unique as fingerprints, as they cannot be seen antemortem (not without surgery, or a violent accident), they are not useful in terms of identification.

15. Circle the Appropriate Answer
Adult skull has no remaining suture (called the frontal suture) in the middle of the Frontal bone.  Remember, also, that all the sutures ultimately become more filled-in ("closed") as we age.
Circle the Appropriate Answer
Frontal Suture Present   or   Absent
Other Sutures "Open"   or   "Closed"
Adolescent   or   Adult

16. Male or Female? Male Female Narrower, heart-shaped pelvic inlet
Narrower sciatic notch
Narrower angle where the two pubic bones meet in front
Open, circular pelvic inlet
Broader sciatic notch
Wider angle where the two pubic bones meet in front
More outwardly flared hip bones
Female
[Left] Male pelvis. [Right] Female pelvis.
Image courtesy: Smithsonian Institution
Source:

17. Gender- Pelvis

18. Try it out Angle > 90 degrees or < 90 degrees
Sacrum Forward   or   Backward
Pelvic Outlet Small   or   Large
Ilia Close   or   Spread
Female   or   Male

19. Gender Differences in the Skull
Landmarks
Female
Male
Chin
Rounded
Square
Mastoid Process (Behind Ear)
Small
Large
External Occipital Protuberance (Back of Skull)
Small (Not Prominent)
Large (Prominent)
General Anatomy
Gracile (i.e., Graceful)
Robust
Forehead
Vertical
Receding (Careful with the comments . . .)
Brow Ridges (Location of Eyebrows)
Slightly Developed
Prominent
Muscle Lines
Orbital Margins (Edge of Eye Socket)
Sharp
Angle of Ascending Ramus (Back Corner of the Jaw)
Obtuse
Close to 90 degrees

20. Circle the Appropriate Answer
Chin Rounded   or   Square
Mastoid Process Small   or   Large
Occipital Protuberance Small   or   Large
General Anatomy Gracile   or   Robust
Forehead Vertical   or   Receding
Brow Ridges Slight   or   Prominent
Muscle Lines Slight   or   Prominent
Orbital Margins Sharp   or   Rounded
Angle of Ramus 90 degrees   or   Obtuse
Gender Female   or   Male
Gender Female   or   Mal

21. Main Characteristics:
Which skull would belong to a female?
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGISTS analyze skeletal remains to determine the identity of a victim as well as his/her life history, cause of death, or other clues about a crime.
Main Characteristics:
 Sex - Determined by examining the skull, pelvis, humerus, and femur
Age and stature (height/build) – Determined by analyzing the development of the teeth, bone growth, cranial suture lines, and the length of specific bones, such as the femur.
 Race – Determined by analyzing the skull for characteristics that are common among people of different races.
Which pelvis would belong to a female?
Career Connection
What does a forensic anthropologist do?
Source: Images:

22. Warm-Up: Video http://www.hulu.com/watch/474025#i0,p0,d0
As you watch the video, again write down key words/identifiers of victim’s age.
During the second viewing, assess whether or not you think Dr. Brenan used accurate anthropological data to determine sex and age of victim

23. Questions:
What is the easiest way to determine the gender (using the skeleton) of an individual, and why?
What is the easiest way to tell (using the skeleton) whether a teenager is lying about her/his age, and why?
Why can determining gender from a skull be difficult?
Why should a forensic anthropologist use more than one bone (if possible) to determine the height of an individual?
What other issue is important to question four, especially if there is only one bone from which to work?