On todays show, our guest is Val McDermid, author of Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us about Crime (Grove Press, July 2015). McDermid is a crime novelist and tries to make her fiction as close to real life as possible. Writing Forensics, a nonfiction title that explores the science of crime scene investigation, allowed McDermid to learn even more about what she dramatizes—from stringing to understand more about blood spatter, to the stages of bug infestation in a corpse. We also kick off our series on world population: Pam Wasserman from Population Connection tells us about the history of oil wells in ancient China and how that has impacted population. You can check out Population Connections interactive map/timeline at www.worldpopulationhistory.org.

Music this hour:

Twin by Jahzzar, from the album Onus

“Soldiertype (militarised)” by Ketsa, from the album What’s Without’s Within

The Han Palace Autumn Moon

“Persian Lamb Rag” by Heftone Banjo Orchestra, from the album Music Box Rag

Sound effects:

Factory by viertelnachvier

Water Boil by fryzu82

Oil Drum by engreitz