Earth science’s world organisation opens the case on Forensic Geology – reports Laurance Donnelly
Geoscientist 20.03 April 2012
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) launched its Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG) was officially launched during the 62nd Executive Committee Meeting of the IUGS, at UNESCO headquarters, Paris, on 22 February last year. This became named the ‘Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG)’. On 18-19 September, the IUGS-IFG and its newly formed committee members became formally established and launched at an inaugural meeting in Rome.
This was an interesting conjunction because forensic geology was well known by the ancient Romans who, according to L
atin writers, were able to locate the camps of their enemies by observing the soil types adhering to the hooves of captured horses. More recently, in 1978, following the kidnap and assassination of Italian Prime Minster Aldo Moro, forensic geologists were involved in analysing soil from his clothing.
Picture: IUGS IFG Committee Members at the IFG inaugural meeting, Rome, 19 September 2011.
RENAISSANCE
Throughout the early 1980s forensic geology developed in Rome; but (as in many other parts of the world) forensic geology seemed to be put on hold and had to await the millennium for further progress. This new Italian renaissance was helped by the development of a Soil Laboratory within Rome’s Servizio Polizia Scientifica. In recent years sampling and analytical techniques have improved and Italian geologists have taken part in numerous high-profile cases and assisted police with a variety of criminal investigations.
The meeting was attended by 19 committee members from around the world (picture), organised by Rosa Maria Di Maggio, (formerly of the Servizio Polizia Scientifica, now Geologia Forense Roma) with support from Laurance Donnelly (Chair, IUGS-IFG & Wardell Armstrong).