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solving crimes with physics
Clearly, matter exited the president’s head with significant speed. Analy-
sis by physics experts shows that the forward ejection of matter from the
head can carry more rearward momentum than the incoming bullet pos-
sessed, due to the sudden release of pressure built up in the skull as the
bullet passed through, as was discussed in a 1976
Physics Today
article by
Nobel physicist Luis Alvarez. Other experts in physics conclude that con-
spiracy theories are not necessary to explain Kennedy’s murder.
A Brief Introduction
to Forensic Science
Obviously, not all crimes are as high profile as President Kennedy’s assas-
sination. Not every crime shakes an entire nation the way this one did—but
all crimes shake the worlds of those who are touched by them.
No one wants to become a victim, nor do we want our families or friends
to be victimized. We are all interested in preventing crimes or solving them.
Forensic science is a field where law and science intersect. Highly trained
experts examine evidence collected from a crime scene and look for ways
to connect an individual to that particular crime. The connections can num-
ber in the hundreds in some cases. In other cases there is only a handful to
be found. Each case is different, as is each crime scene. A forensic scientist
knows the tricks of the trade to find the connections between a crime and
the criminal. Many kinds of science can be involved with forensics—includ-
ing physics.
Every society in the world is governed by some kind of laws. These
laws vary from place to place, but all are made to protect the integrity of
the society. They are not all the same, because each society has different
traditions to protect, but nearly every law is designed to protect the rights
