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FAQ

What is Forensic Anthropology?

Forensic anthropology, a sub-field of applied anthropology and physical anthropology, uses a cross-disciplinary approach to determine an individual’s identity, time since death, and the manner of death. The discipline has achieved wide recognition in North America and, like other disciplines, it has its own code of ethics for practices among other outlined in the field of anthropology.

What is Forensic Anthropology like CSI?

Forensic anthropology focuses on skeletal elements for the purposes of identification and accessing manner of death.  Forensic Science and CSI focus on other physical evidence, such as fingerprints, hair, blood, and even DNA.  All of this information can be used in a court of law to assist a judge or jury in determining guilt or innocence.

What is the longest bone in the human body?

The longest bone in the human body is the femur, sometimes called the thighbone.

How many bones are in the human body?

On average, there are 206 bones in the human skeleton. A baby has over 300 bones, some of which fuse together as the individual grows. Variation means that an adult human may have between 200 and 210 bones in their body.

How many bones are in the human body?

On average, there are 206 bones in the human skeleton. A baby has over 300 bones, some of which fuse together as the individual grows. Variation means that an adult human may have between 200 and 210 bones in their body.

Do men and women have the same number of ribs?

Yes.  Both men and women have 12 paired ribs.

Acknowledgements

Department of anthropology

University of Texas at Austin

Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services

Production Credits

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