More than a hunch

muskan

June 12, 2023, 1:08 p.m.

In the past few days news has come to light of the confirmation that skeletal remains discovered in an excavated site of a Leicester car park are indeed that of the famous English king Richard III. But how was it done?

It should be noted that DNA played only a part in this puzzle, the project involved archaeologists, pathologists, genealogists and anthropologists.

It has been reported that testing produced a match with the maternal DNA of two descendants of Richard’s sister (one anonymous, and the other Michael Ibsen, a Canadian carpenter living in London). A “beyond reasonable doubt” match by all accounts.

So what does this actually mean and how can DNA be considered such a useful tool to identify the dead?

Most people who are interested in the field of forensic science would be familiar with DNA profiling. In shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation it is used quickly and cleanly to great crime-fighting effect.