The Good and the Bad of TV Forensics

Short Wave

NPR

Nature, News, Astronomy, Science, Daily News, Life Sciences

4.7 • 6.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2022

⏱️ 12 minutes

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Summary

Raychelle Burks is a forensic chemist and an associate professor at American University. She's also a big fan of murder mysteries. Today, we talk pop culture forensics with Raychelle and what signs to look for to know whether or not a tv crime show is getting the science right. (ENCORE)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Tell me if this sounds familiar.
0:02.8	You're kicking back at the end of a long day watching your favorite TV show.
0:08.2	When suddenly you notice that they get a major scientific fact totally wrong.
0:14.4	It stings when a show we love covers a topic we know a lot about and completely botches
0:19.9	it.
0:20.9	This happens often to Rachel Berks with crime television shows.
0:24.1	She's a chemistry professor at American University and a forensics expert.
0:29.4	She all knows when shows get the forensics wrong and when they get it right.
0:34.1	Today we close out the week featuring some of our favorite black scientists with an episode
0:39.0	from the archives.
0:40.3	Rachel talks with former shortwave host Maddie Safaya about some famous crime show scenes
0:45.1	and exposes the real science behind the television magic.
0:49.4	Enjoy.
0:50.6	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:57.2	Today Rachel Berks is a chemistry professor or as she says in her Twitter bio, hashtag
1:03.2	chemistry black endemic in the ivory tower.
1:06.5	But way back when.
1:08.9	I wanted to be a lawyer when I was little.
1:12.2	Little grade school Rachel wasn't that interested in science.
1:15.4	I was like a little Alex P. Keaton kid.
1:17.5	A big case.
1:18.7	Little ribbon around the neck.
	...

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