A practical, accessible, and informative guide to the science of criminal investigations. Covering the fundamentals, science, history, and analysis of clues, The Handy Forensic Science Answer Book: Reading Clues at the Crime Scene, Crime Lab and in Court provides detailed information on crime scene investigations, techniques, laboratory finding, the latest research, and controversies. It looks at the science of law enforcement, how evidence is gathered, processed, analyzed, and viewed in the courtroom, and more. From the cause, manner, time of a death, and autopsies to blood, toxicology, DNA typing, fingerprints, ballistics, tool marks, tread impressions, and trace evidence, it takes the reader through the many sides of a death investigation. Arson, accidents, computer crimes, criminal profiling, and much, much more are also addressed. The Handy Forensic Science Answer Book gives real-world examples and looks at what Hollywood gets right and wrong. It provides the history of the science, and it introduces the scientists behind breakthroughs. An easy-to-use and informative reference, it brings the complexity of a criminal investigation into focus and provides well-researched answers to over 950 common questions, such as ... What is the difference between cause of death and manner of death? How did a person’s skull fit into criminal evidence in the early 1800s? When were fingerprints first used to identify a criminal? How is the approximate time of death of a crime scene victim determined? What is forensic serology? What is the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System? Can a forensics expert look at skeletal remains and tell whether the person was obese? How can a simple knot analyzed in the crime lab be used as evidence? Can fingerprints be permanently changed or destroyed? How fast does a bullet travel? How was a chemical analysis of ink important in the conviction of Martha Stewart? What types of data are often retrieved from a crime scene cellphone? Can analyses similar to those used in forensics be used to uncover doping in athletics? What is the Personality Assessment Inventory? What are some motives that cause an arsonist to start a fire? What state no longer allows bite marks as admissible evidence in a trial? What is the Innocence Project? Why are eyewitness accounts not always reliable? Who was “Jack the Ripper”? Providing the facts, stats, history, and science, The Handy Forensic Science Answer Book answers intriguing questions about criminal investigations. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, glossary of terms, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

The Handy Forensic Science Answer Book provides a fascinating look at the science of law enforcement and how even the smallest clues can yield useful information.

Informative, easy-to-use guide to everyday science questions, concepts and fundamentals celebrates its twenty-fifth year and over one million copies sold! Science is everywhere, and it affects everything! DNA and CRISPR. Artificial sweeteners. Sea level changes caused by melting glaciers. Gravitational waves. Bees in a colony. The human body. Microplastics. The largest active volcano. Designer dog breeds. Molecules. The length of the Grand Canyon. Viruses and retroviruses. The weight of a cloud. Forces, motion, energy, and inertia. It can often seem complex and complicated, but it need not be so difficult to understand. The thoroughly updated and completely revised fifth edition of The Handy Science Answer Book makes science and its impact on the world fun and easy to understand. Clear, concise, and straightforward, this informative primer covers hundreds of intriguing topics, from the basics of math, physics, and chemistry to the discoveries being made about the human body, stars, outer space, rivers, mountains, and our entire planet. It covers plants, animals, computers, planes, trains, and cars. This friendly resource answers more than 1,600 of the most frequently asked, most interesting, and most unusual science questions, including ... When was a symbol for the concept of zero first used? How large is a google? Why do golf balls have dimples? What is a chemical bond? What is a light-year? What was the grand finale of the Cassini mission? How many exoplanets have been discovered? Where is the deepest cave in the United States? How long is the Grand Canyon? What is the difference between weather and climate? What causes a red tide? What is cell cloning and how is it used in scientific research? How did humans evolve? Do pine trees keep their needles forever? What is the most abundant group of organisms? How do insects survive the winter in cold climates? Which animals drink seawater? Why do geese fly in formation? What is FrogWatch? Why do cats’ eyes shine in the dark? Which industries release the most toxic chemicals? What causes most wildfires in the United States? Which woman received the Nobel Prize in two different fields (two different years)? What is the difference between science and technology? For anyone wanting to know how the universe, Earth, plants, animals, and human beings work and fit into our world, this informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. It will help anyone’s science questions!

This compilation of medical and forensic science questions from crime writers around the world provides insight into medical and forensic science as well as a glimpse into the writer’s creative mind. How do hallucinogenic drugs affect a blind person? Will snake venom injected into fruit cause death? How would you perform CPR in a helicopter? What happens when someone swallows razor blades? How long does it take blood to dry? Can DNA be obtained from a half-eaten bagel? D. P. Lyle, MD, answers these and many more intriguing questions. The book is a useful and entertaining resource for writers and screenwriters, helping them find the information they need to frame a situation and write a convincing description. TV viewers, readers who enjoy crime fiction, and those who want to know more about forensic science can keep up with the news and understand the science behind criminal investigation. From traumatic injuries to the coroner’s office, the questions and answers are divided into five parts, making it a compendium of the incredible information that lies within the world of medicine and forensics.

Two established science writers and researchers distill and present the latest and most important information on anatomy and physiology in an easy-to-use, question-and-answer approach. We all have one. The human body. But do we really know all of its parts and how they work? The Handy Anatomy Answer Book is the key to unlocking this door to a wondrous world. Learn how the body heals wounds. Untangle the mysteries of eyesight. Discover how cells organize themselves into organs and other tissues. From the violent battleground that is the immune system to the hundreds of miles of muscle fibers, nerves, veins, and arteries that fill our bodies, the human is a miracle waiting to be explored. The Handy Anatomy Answer Book covers all the major body systems: integumentary (skin, hair, etc.), skeletal, muscular, nervous, sensory, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive, and, for good measure, adds chapters on growth and development and how science can help and augment the body. It follows the fascinating maze of organ systems and shows how much the body does routinely just to let you move, breathe, eat, and fight off disease. Fascinating trivia, along with serious facts, combine to answer over 1,200 questions about the human body, including … Who were Hippocrates and Galen? What is Gray’s Anatomy? Do all animals need oxygen? What are the largest, smallest, and longest cells in the human body? What is the average lifespan of various cells in the human body? Does exercise increase the number of muscle cells? What is phantom limb pain? Should ear wax be removed? What does it mean to have 20/20 vision? Do identical twins have the same fingerprints? Do the hair and nails continue to grow after death? How strong is bone? Which is the only bone that does not touch another bone? What does it mean when someone is “double-jointed”? How many muscles does it take to produce a smile versus a frown? What are tendons? What is Botox? What is the effect of aging on the muscular system? What are the functions of the nervous system? What are the causes of epilepsy? How large is the brain? What is a concussion? What are the seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease? What is a reflex? How much sleep does an individual need? How are hormones classified? What is the difference between Type I and Type II diabetes? Do males have estrogen and females have testosterone in their respective systems? Why is blood sticky? How does exercise affect the heart? Why does blood in the veins look blue? What is an autoimmune disease? What are “swollen glands”? Why is it difficult to treat viral infections with medications? What was the earliest known vaccination? What’s the difference between an intolerance and an allergy? What is the Adam’s apple? Why is it more difficult to breathe at high altitudes? How much force does a human bite generate? Does the stomach have a memory? What is “gluten intolerance”? What are the causes of obesity? What percent of a person’s intake of water comes from drinking water? Is urine always yellow in color? What are the phases of the reproductive cycle? How do the terms zygote, embryo, and fetus differ? How does fetal blood differ form adult blood? How are PET scans used to detect and treat cancer? When was the first successful pacemaker invented? What is an artificial joint? Can humans use organs from other animals for transplants? A glossary and index are included, along with nearly 120 color illustrations, detailed medical charts and photographs help supplement the text. This handy reference helps make the language of anatomy—as well as physiology and pathology—more understandable and less intimidating. The Handy Anatomy Answer Book is an engaging look at the topic, the historic development of the science, the personalities behind the research, and the latest controversies and scientific advancements.

Easy to use and friendly guide explains the inner workings of cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, plants, animals, as well as evolution, the environment, DNA and chromosomes, genetics and genetic engineering, laboratory techniques, and much, much more. Gene therapy. Forensic DNA profiling. Biochemistry. Biotechnology. Cloning. Stem Cells. Super Bugs. Genetically modified food. Botany. Zoology. Sex. The study of life and living organisms is ancient, broad, and ongoing. Biology combines the Greek word for life, bios, with the suffix -ology, or science/study/knowledge of. The new, completely revised and updated The Handy Biology Answer Book examines, explains, and traces mankind’s understanding of this important topic. From the newsworthy to the practical and from the medical to the historical, this entertaining and informative book brings the complexity of life into focus through the well-researched answers to more than 1,250 common biology questions, such as ... What is life? Why do you need protein in your diet? Do animals suffer from allergies just like humans? What is the Human Genome Project? Why do birds fly in formation? Can the environment affect genes? Do bacteria get addicted to caffeine? What was the historical significance of hemp? How are seedless grapes grown? What is social Darwinism? Can animals suffer from psychological disorders? The Handy Biology Answer Book has clear, concise answers to questions on everything from genetics to the anatomy of cells to the emotional life of elephants, and from the environment and ecology to human biology and evolution. It’s a must-have for any student of life! With many photos, illustrations, and other graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.