Twenty-year-old Toyah Evans had an interesting walk along Umina Beach on the central coast of New South Wales last Thursday as she astonishingly found a human jawbone with teeth still intact washed up ashore. DailyMail reports that she put the evidence in a doggie bag as she realizes its implications on a possible investigation.
She told 9 News that the discovery was pretty grim, but she was excited about the fact that she could help solve a missing person's case. Police have settled a crime scene at the spot of the discovery. Officials believe that the bone could have belonged to a man in his 20s. Furthermore, they say the evidence will go through forensic testing.
According to Detective Chief Inspector Steve Laksa, authorities would rummage through the missing person's registry for clues as to who the bone belonged to. As of the present, they say it would be hard to tell if the detection of the bone has anything to do with suspicious criminal activity.
On Friday, Laksa said that the officials are just keeping an open mind, as there is nothing that is indicative of the jaw bone's origin and if it is related to any suspicious criminal activity. Moreover, they say that there are items on the jaw that could be identifiable through DNA analysis.
Furthermore, the officials consider the possibility of the jaw bone coming from overseas.
What is Forensic Science?
According to Crime Scene Investigator, forensic science involves applying scientific methods and processes to solving crimes. Forensic science comes from several scientific branches, including physics, biology, and chemistry.
The focus of this branch of science is on identification, recognition, and evaluation of physical evidence. It has become a vital part of the judicial system, as it uses a broad spectrum of sciences to carry out information applicable to criminal and legal evidence.
The Canadian Society of Forensic Science says that a forensic scientist will not only be analyzing and interpreting evidence but also being challenged in court. At the same time, they will be providing skilled witness testimony.
Forensic scientists use forefront scientific techniques to examine and interpret evidence in relation to civil and criminal proceedings. In criminal law, forensics science can aid in proving the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Moreover, in civil actions, forensics can help clear up a broad spectrum of legal issues through the analysis, identification, and evaluation of physical evidence.
The Story Behind Bones
Bones and fossils are engaging in a way since they are capable of telling a story. Just like the clues at the scene of a crime, bones provide evidence of the past.
It may seem strange to imagine our planet as a giant crime scene, but in a way, it's what paleontologists do when they look for and analyze fossils. First of all, researchers are searching for evidence, similar to what crime-scene investigators do.
Second, forensics experts and paleontologists alike study this evidence to answer a single fundamental question: What happened? Bones and fossils are parts of something or someone that could tell a lot even if their time on this Earth has passed.
