The Diatom Detective - with Kirstie Scott

If you tuned in last week, you'll know that diatoms produce one quarter of the air we breathe (and they produced this podcast's logo), but did you know that they can also be used to solve crimes???! Rather than spoiling too much by writing a long caption here, you should just press play to hear from Dr. Kirstie Scott, a forensic diatomist and one of the most interesting people I've spoken with. In this episode we discuss how certain environments have certain cells and how these cells can travel on clothes and in bodies. We also talk about different types of evidence, testifying in court, and many ways in which trace signatures of organisms in the environment can be used in to answer diverse research questions. If you like Dexter or Bones or true crime, this episode is for you!

Kirstie is a senior lecturer in forensic bioscience at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK where she specializes in diatom analysis. You can find her on Linkedin, Google Scholar, X, and Bluesky.

Here are some resources Kirstie recommends:

1. How microscopic algae are helping forensic teams catch criminals
2. Research article on marine diatoms as trace evidence indicators
3. Dead bodies can reveal details of their death through microscopic diatoms

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The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the host and guests and do not reflect the views of any institution.