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The structure and sizes of bones can be used by forensic scientists to identify unknown individuals. Different ethnic groups have different bone structures and there is stark contrast between the bones of males and females.

Forensic scientists can use a single bone - if that is all they are provided with - to calculate the height, gender, and ethnicity. I do not know how they can tell, since I have not studied in that area, but they can usually tell with first glance what gender it should be.

Also, different people have had unique medical records. Records of fractures, or breaks, or simply bone stress can help if forensic scientists see a certain feature (i.e, a fracture line).

The skull is probably the most important out of all the bones for identification. The skull can clearly show scientists what gender, age, ethnicity the person was. Even an untrained person can tell if they know what to look for. For example, males have a sharper brow and squarer jaw, while females have more rounded skulls. Teeth can help - especially if the scientist has access to dental records. The number and type of teeth in someone's mouth can tell you their approximate age and daily diet.

There was probably a lot of peripheral information in here, but I hope this helped!

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Q: How do forensic scientists use bones to identify unknown individuals?
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