Forensic anthropologists can tell a lot about a person from their skull. Small clues like shape and markings can help identify remains and sometimes solve crimes.
In 2018, forensic anthropologist Dr Hayley Green was called to Wollongong bushlands where police had discovered what they believed were human bones.
“I went to the scene, and the skull was one of the first bones that was found,” Green said.
Forensic anthropologist Hayley Green explains how she identified the bones on the Crime Insiders podcast:
After looking at the skull, Green soon determined they were an adult male based on neck muscle markings on the bone.
“Looking at some of those features across the face in particular, I was able to say they definitely were not a Caucasian. But they did have some very strong Asian features.”
Forensic anthropologists can indicate the ancestry of a person based on their skeleton, and the ways climate has impacted its shape.
“The climate can actually influence your skull features as well. So nose shape, eye shape, cranial shape,” she said.
Green said heat loss and retention can majorly impact your height, face and cranial features, as can certain environmental conditions.
“Keeping dust out of the eyes if you’re living close to the equator and in sandy areas. Or if you’re up in the ice caps trying to maintain the health of your eyes and being able to warm,” she said.
“The air over long periods of time can impact your stature.”
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