The Failings of Forensic Science, Part I

In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert chats with Tom Lathan, author of “Lost Wonders: 10 Tales of Extinction from the 21st Century.” (originally published 6/19/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In memory of the late, great Sam Neill, Rob and Joe devote this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema to John Carpenter's reality-warping 1994 horror film "In the Mouth of Madness," co-starring Julie Carmen and Jürgen Prochnow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In this series from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the dog days of summer, their connection to a luminous star in the night’s sky and various ideas linking the summer’s hottest days to human and animal behavior.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Forensic Science is supposed to provide perfect certainty in the most serious criminal cases. What if it's all a bunch of bullshit? Robert sits down with Dr. Kaveh Hoda to talk about all the myriad cons in forensic "science.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Ever watch those crime TV shows and wonder how the forensic scientists process all that evidence? Listen to this fun and informative chat with Dr. Kelly Elkins, biochemist and forensic scientist. Learn all about DNA, fingerprints, and solving for clues!  

<p>It’s courtroom 101: the prosecution’s trying to make a case, the defense is trying to get their client off, and it’s the jury’s job to figure out the truth. But how much of the science that’s presented at court is actually scientific? Ben and Sharon look closely at specific pi ... Show More

Josh Dubin speaks with Bill Osinski, journalist and author of “Guilty By Popular Demand.” Even when done correctly, impression analysis of evidence, like shoe prints and tire tracks, is purely subjective. Many experts recognize its limitations. But one so-called “expert” in parti ... Show More

A Forensic look at ForensicsNo dead strawberries this week, but plenty of dead bodies, as Brian Cox and Robin Ince take a gruesome look at the science of death and some of the more unusual ways that forensic scientists are able to look for and gather clues and evidence. From inse ... Show More

Raychelle Burks is a forensic chemist and an associate professor at American University. She's also a big fan of murder mysteries. Today, we talk pop culture forensics with Raychelle and what signs to look for to know whether or not a tv crime show is getting the science right. ( ... Show More

Pseudoscience can sometimes be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Today we discuss how philosophers of science have thought about this problem.For ad free episodes and other exclusives, join us for just $3 a month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/whythisuniverseOur merch is ... Show More