Forensic Evidence: Fire and Explosives

Forensic techniques are increasingly common not just in police work but also in everyday life. Forensics can be used to prove paternity cases, discover how our forefathers lived and died, prove which inventor or author thought of an idea first, show how old buildings used to look, and so forth. This series examines the latest techniques used in the forensics field to demonstrate how our lives have been transformed by this new science.

Tracing manufacture and use. Every type of accelerant such as gas, kerosene or TNT produces a very distinct chemical signature when it burns, making it possible to identify in some cases where the material came from and the manufacturer. Ballistics – how guns and bullets can be identified, and how forensics can show where the bullets were fired from.