Tuesday: Welcome to Day 2 where your STEM Explorer will be solving a CSI Mock Crime using Forensic Science.
Hair Identification
Today in class, Explorers acted as forensic scientists by identifying hair samples! First, we discussed who actually has hair (only mammals) and some functions of hair on animal bodies (e.g., for UV protection, for camouflage, for sensory tools like whiskers).
Then Explorers examined cards with microscope images of unknown hair samples and compared them with a master key of hair medullas in order to determine the species of each hair sample. Once they were hair experts – and could tell a dog hair from a rabbit hair – explorers determined what type of hair was left at the crime scene.
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