The History of Forensic Science

Hydrogen Peroxide Discovery

Jan 1, 1818

Discovered by Louis Jacques Thénard

Invention of the camera

Jan 1, 1827

Helped document crime scenes

Bloodstains

Jan 1, 1862

First time bloodstains are corelated to injuries

Fingerprinting

Jan 1, 1880

Discovered that no two fingerprints are alike

Hydrogen Peroxide Application

Jan 1, 1903

Discovery that hydrogen peroxide fizzes when coming in contact with hemoglobin

Exchange Principle

Jan 1, 1910

Edmond Locard developed the Exchange Principle, stating that everything and everyone that enters a crime scene leaves some piece of evidence behind and everyone takes some piece of the crime scene with them when they leave.

First Crime Lab

Jan 1, 1910

Edmond Locard created the first crime lab in an attic with two assistants.

Hair in Forensics

Jan 1, 1910

Victor Balthazard discovered that hair could be used to determine the nature of a crime.

Ballistics

Jan 1, 1912

Victor Balthazar discovered that gun barrels left specific sets of grooves on each bullet; the field of ballistics was formed.

Polygraph

Jan 1, 1921

Polygraph invented in California

"Flight Characteristics and Stain Patterns of Human Blood"

Jan 1, 1971

Herbert MacDonell wrote "Flight Characteristics and Stain Patterns of Human Blood", giving him the title "The Father of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis".

DNA Testing

Jan 1, 1985

DNA testing was discovered