Why We Do What We Do

True-ish Crime: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis


Listen Later

Not the BPA that is commonly advertised as being not in our water bottles (at least I don't think so...), bloodstain pattern analysis is an investigative tool for analyzing crime scenes. Made popular by the TV show, Dexter, BPA attempts to reverse engineer and recreate a crime scene so as to determine important clues. But in real crime scenes, the evidence is very messy, and analysis can become practically impossible. Real experts caution against certainty in using BPA. We will share our findings on the science and misunderstandings of bloodstain pattern analysis. 

Recommendations
  • Abraham: Fly Me To The Moon (https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/fly-me-to-the-moon/umc.cmc.7bwrikjdeik56bk49vlr7c1h6)
  • Shane: Mogwai - The Bad Fire ( https://open.spotify.com/album/3wub9ovkqCGHDDHkdhdh1I?si=TMS7YKK6SzOTvD0y6duP2w)
Holidays (2/12/2025):
  • Darwin Day
  • Hug Day
  • International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers
  • Lincoln’s Birthday
  • NAACP Day
  • National Freedom to Marry Day
  • National Lost Penny Day
  • National Plum Pudding Day
  • Oglethorpe Day
  • Paul Bunyan Day
  • Safety Pup Day
  • Sick of Food Waste Day
  • Celebration of Love Week
  • Children of Alcoholics Week
  • Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
  • Freelance Writers Appreciation Week
  • Homes for Birds Week
  • International Flirting Week
  • Love Data Week
  • Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week
Links and References: 
  1. https://innocenceproject.org/the-pseudo-science-of-dexter/#:~:text=Yet%2C%20when%20I%20watch%20Dexter,the%20legitimacy%20of%20the%20practice
  2. https://propublica.org/article/understanding-junk-science-forensics-criminal-justice
  3. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/study-reports-error-rates-bloodstain-pattern-analysis
  4. https://features.propublica.org/blood-spatter-analysis/herbert-macdonell-forensic-evidence-judges-and-courts/ 
  5. https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2022/may/1/pseudoscientific-practice-blood-spatter-analysis-how-desire-convictions-drives-flawed-prosecutions/
  6. https://www.thomassci.com/blog/_/spooky-science-behind-the-blood-spatter?srsltid=AfmBOoquBknBgaNKy-QApCwDx_KEUSarh_1iDTE9tmp3aW37NO7LbClO
  7. https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/how-dexter-csi-and-henry-lee-convinced-juries-to-buy-blood-spatter-analysis-as 
  8. https://science.howstuffworks.com/bloodstain-pattern-analysis4.htm 
  9. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228091.pdf 




Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Why We Do What We DoBy Abraham

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

81 ratings


More shows like Why We Do What We Do

View all
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,689 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,483 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,513 Listeners

ABA Inside Track by ABA Inside Track

ABA Inside Track

624 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,864 Listeners

The Jordan Harbinger Show by Jordan Harbinger

The Jordan Harbinger Show

12,010 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,043 Listeners

Life Kit by NPR

Life Kit

4,302 Listeners

Behavior Bitches by Study Notes ABA, LLC

Behavior Bitches

1,307 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,066 Listeners

Decoding the Gurus by Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

Decoding the Gurus

944 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

15,237 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,541 Listeners

What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

What Now? with Trevor Noah

4,094 Listeners

Good Hang with Amy Poehler by The Ringer

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

7,419 Listeners