Trillions of Flies Can’t All Be That Bad

“Trillions of Flies Can’t All Be That Bad” James Gorman

www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/science/flies-biology.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic+Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=collection.

“Trillions of Flies Can’t All Be Bad” is mainly an article on flies that’s filled with information that could support the argument that they’re one of the most fascinating creatures and do, do some good in the world. The article had lots of information on flies and I can guarantee when you read it you’ll be as fascinated as I was. Bugs aren’t a particular interest of mine but Erica McAlister made me want to learn more about them, “That’s why I love them. They do everything. They get everywhere. They’re noisy. And they love having sex” Erica McAlister says, McAlister is the curator of Diptera at the Natural History Museum in London and author of “The Secret Life of Flies”. This article was written by James Gorman and was filled with reasons why Erica McAlister enjoyed the studies of flies and what made her become so interested in them. The purpose of this article was to inform the readers that there are much more to flies then just how annoying and harmful they are to us, flies “pollinate plants, consume decomposing bodies, eat the sludge in your drain pipes, damage crops, spread disease, kill spiders, hunt dragonflies” flies are harmful in many ways but this article would make any reader if not admit at least acknowledge that they are good for something.

This article effects all of humanity and I think it would be a good read for everyone. There was much valuable information to be learned in this read and I think it’s for anyone to know more information on one of the most perceived harmful creatures on this earth. The article covered on some forensic information, it talked about how different flies devour on decomposing bodies. Flies are very important when it comes to forensic, “The maggots of these flies, like the very attractive bluebottle larvae, devour corpses of mice and men and everything else” in forensics this could be very helpful. Forensics sometimes depend on insects, “Knowledge of which species lay eggs at which stages of decomposition can help determine how long ago a person turned into a body” flies are important to the science of forensics because they sometimes can determine things about the body and their death. Flies when devouring on decomposing bodies can determine time and death. Flies can be used in many studies because their make up of DNA is very similar to ours and many other species.

I really enjoyed this read, I thought it was very interesting to learn more about flies and how they can destroy but also help. I thought this article was a fascinating read and very different from other ones. Many forensic articles only deal with crimes which are very important and worth the read but it’s also important to know about other things involving forensics such as insects and how they contribute to the science world. I liked all the new perspectives on flies from Erica McAlister but I thought perhaps more information on how flies can help with forensic science would’ve made the article that much stronger. There wasn’t much factual evidence as well as the article was really one sided, it didn’t show both perspectives of flies being both harmful and helpful. Some statistics would’ve been nice if they were added or maybe some other opinions and facts from other authors and not just one. It would’ve been interesting to hear from other people and not just one. Overall I thought the article was very well written and informative and made my outlook on flies change a bit. I enjoyed the read and it didn’t bore me or feel like a struggle not once. This was a unique thing to write about but it’s really made an impact on my opinion and will stick with me.

posted for N. Robles

They Died by the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back

Lucy Rizzo

March 7, 2018

Forensics

Current Event #18

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/arts/design/new-york-academy-of-art-arizona-border.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection

Brown, Patricia Leigh. “They Died by the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back.”The New York Times , www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/arts/design/new-york-academy-of-art-arizona-border.html?rref.

I read the article “They Died by the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back,” from the New York Times this week. The remains of eight migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico were found last summer in the Arizona desserts. The bodies were identified and scattered by scavenging vouchers and other predators. Students at the New York Academy of Art are working alongside forensic artist Joe Mullins to reconstruct the faces of these missing individuals for families to claim and identify. Forensic Anthropologist Bruce Anderson, explained to New York Times reporters the importance of forensic artist work in identifying missing people in the reconstruction of an individual’s face based on characteristics of the skull. “To a trained eye, the complex structure of the human skull offers a blueprint to the facial features of the deceased. “A skull is the foundation an individual’s face is built on,” said Mr. Mullins, 47. “It’s like a house for your face.” The class than begins identifying specific characteristics of each skull differentiating one from the other; including scars, tissue depth, nose arch, chin, and earlobes. These are what build the foundation of the multiple layers of clay that are cut to create the unique faces of these unidentified migrants. By rebuilding an individual face scientific accuracy in understanding the built of muscle and soft tissue require many different layers of clay to create the perfected shape. The balance between scientific accuracy and artistic skill continues to remain debated in the forensic world but their results are unlike any others. These students give unidentified remains to have their stories told and not be a lost identity.

I chose this article based on its influence of art in the forensic field. It is something that really interests me given my involvements in fine arts as well as interest in learning about forensic science. I thought that this article was extremely well written and shed much needed light on a situation that is silenced in our country. Since 2001 nearly 2,800 migrant remains have been discovered in the Pilma County of Arizona and nearly 1,000 individuals are still left unidentified. It is a chilling story to hear the tales of those who do survive the dessert crossing and it is an issue that still occurs today despite government efforts to close the Mexican American borders. I wish that the article had included a story about one of these border crossing stories, however the included stories about remains found not in the dessert but a few miles from their work space in Queens, NY. The article could easily have included a story of a survivor however it was not the point of the article to tell the stories, but to tell the story of how students are restoring their identities.

After reviewing and reading the article I learned a lot, not only about forensic work but also different fields of art work. I am always interested in learning something new about how art can impact and help society and this was just another article enlightening me on the importance art truly plays in people’s lives. I would strongly recommend for someone to read this article and further research arts impact in fields or studies that interest oneself.

New Mexico Study of Strangulation Deaths Points to Value of CT Scans at Autopsy

Current Event 18

Mr. Ippolito

YiFei Wu

3/8/2018

https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2018/03/new-mexico-study-strangulation-deaths-points-value-ct-scans-autopsy

Augenstain, Seth. “New Mexico Study of Strangulation Deaths Points to Value of CT Scans at Autopsy.” Forensic Magazine, 7 Mar. 2018, www.forensicmag.com/news/2018/03/new-mexico-study-strangulation-deaths-points-value-ct-scans-autopsy.

New Mexico Study of Strangulation Deaths Points to Value of CT Scans at Autopsy

In this article, the forensic scientists discussed about CT scan technology used in the forensic field in order to solve death cases easily. “The National Institute of Justice published a recent paper citing the use of computed tomography (CT) scans to speed up work amidst a staggering caseload of death in America—and to even catch postmortem details that may have gone unnoticed under the scalpel and microscope.” The benefit of the CT scan is that it is more clear and detailed than any other machines.  It can also help forensic scientists to analysis the cause of death or even investigate the suspect.

This technique in my opinion is benefiting the forensic field. In our life, there’s too many grey areas comes to the death case, a lot of cases couldn't solve by the investigators. We need more justice in the society. This CT scanner technique helped.

But the concerns about this technology is that when it came to poisoning and rare death case, how would the scientist analyze that. Now technology is all around us include in the forensic field.

"Agonizing Question for Irish: What to Do With Children's Remains?"

Barry, Dan. “Agonizing Question for Irish: What to Do With Children's Remains?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/world/europe/tuam-ireland-lost-children.html.

Dan Barry’s article, “Agonizing Question for Irish: What to Do With Children's Remains?” discusses a case in Ireland where the Catholic nuns ran a home for unwed mothers buried many bodies of young children. In a report conducted by a team of forensic experts, it stated that “The group has not identified any directly comparable cases, either nationally or internationally, that involved the complexities of commingled juvenile human remains, in significant quantities and in such a restricted physical location,” revealing the abuse of human rights and the extreme control over women in the home. After this discovery, authorities made the decision to “conduct a forensic exam of most of the site, including its car park and grassy playground; exhume all relevant human remains; and do exhaustive DNA testing for possible identification.” As of March 2017, forensic investigators from Commision of Investigation Into Mother and Baby Homes confirmed the fact that the remains of hundreds of children were disposed of in a no longer active drainage system.

Barry’s article brought attention to a case in which human rights and proper respect towards and the dead were ignored, as hundreds of young children were disposed of in drainage systems. It is important that those who die are given a proper burial and are treated with respect. In discovering a case such as this one, it allows loved ones to know what may have happened to their sibling for example. Though, it also allows DNA technology to improve, as, with cases such as these where DNA can be difficult to obtain, an improved system will allow for it to be obtained easier with better results.

I thought that Dan Barry’s article, “Agonizing Question for Irish: What to Do With Children's Remains?” was overall very thorough in explaining the case. It was equally interesting and informative to read. Although, he did not explain the forensic side in detail as much as what happened to the children and why this happened.

In Africa, Geneticists Are Hunting Poachers.

Catherine Faville

Forensics

Current event

Kolata, Gina. “In Africa, Geneticists Are Hunting Poachers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/science/dna-rhinos-ivory-poachers.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%2BScience&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=collection.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/science/dna-rhinos-ivory-poachers.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FForensic%20Science&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=collection

After reading the article In Africa, Geneticists Are Hunting Poachers written by Gina Kolata showed me the infamous sadening reality of poaching, and how the problem is being fixed. A former school teacher in Zimbabwe Rogers Mukwena was wanted for poaching rhinos and selling their horns for a heavy price, he had jumped bail and headed north, making it hard to prosecute him. However with the help of scientist this criminal can face his crimes, by using the same genetic fingerprinting method used in the criminal justice system is being used to solve poaching crimes. The scientists gathered samples of DNA from African Rhinos, locating the remains and matching the trafficker or poacher to it. Poaching is series problem, in the past ten years 7,000 rhinos have been killed for their horns, along with 30,000 elephants each year for their tusks.

This article opened my eyes to the escalating problem of poaching animals, and how many people are taking steps forward to prevent this from advancing. By attempting to gather DNA evidence from Rhinos and locating the perpetrator would be able to spread the idea that this is not such a easy crime to commit anymore. By spreading this awareness hopefully it will decrease the high amounts of animal deaths.

The article did a great job in bringing unbelievable facts to the table, drawing in the reader and making them feel concerned for the issue. I also liked how they used a specific story with the rhinos and a escaped convict, it made the article a lot more endearing to read. However i wish that the author had gone into more detail with how exactly the rhino DNA was tied in with the poacher,l and the specifics on how they can find out who murdered the animal. Adding this would have made the article easier to understand and learn.