Forensics
21 episodes
#5875: The Laminated Card Doctrine
We finally give the laminated card its own episode — the crash that started the checklist, the hospital numbers, and where the faith breaks.
#5838: What Customs Officers Actually Read at the Booth
Two spouses, one passport line, two completely different rooms — and a 1980 study that upends what officers think they see.
#5580: Before the Word Spy Existed: Venice's Intelligence Machine
Venice ran a centralised spy service with an archive, a spy network, and a counterintelligence body — in the 1400s.
#4951: Hostage Situations: Hollywood vs. Reality
Are hostage situations as common as movies make them seem? The surprising numbers and what they actually look like.
#4926: How Arson Investigators Read the Ashes
How fire investigators distinguish arson from accident in an age of climate change and political tension.
#4596: How to Record Calls and Conversations for Evidence
The unglamorous craft of capturing audio that actually proves something — gear, technique, and steering the conversation.
#4257: Peeling Paint and Broken AC: What Real Safe Houses Look Like
Hollywood bunkers vs. actual CIA flats with peeling paint and broken AC. What safe houses really are.
#4099: The Resort That Ran the Country
How a private club became an unofficial center of American government — poolside nuclear briefings and all.
#4041: How Intelligence Operatives Build Digital Legends
Inside the craft of constructing fake digital identities that survive modern OSINT scrutiny.
#3741: What Israeli Detectives Actually Do All Day
TV detectives solve cases in 42 minutes. Real ones spend months on fraud, counter-terrorism, and paperwork.
#3340: Why a Dead Attacker Still Gets Evidence Markers
Why investigators treat a dead attacker's scene like an active crime scene — and what those yellow numbered placards actually mean.
#3051: Witness Protection vs. Hollywood: Inside WITSEC and Global Programs
How witness protection actually works across the US, UK, and Germany — and why 17% of participants get expelled.
#2629: The ADHD Archaeologist of Scent
How a frankincense obsession led to discovering perfume oils — a 4,000-year-old tradition that's being rediscovered today.
#1888: The Intelligence-to-Evidence Gap
Why can’t a prosecutor use a mountain of evidence gathered by an undercover cop? The gap between intelligence gathering and courtroom admissibility.
#1442: Shadow Logistics: The $150 Billion Trafficking Industry
Explore how modern trafficking operates as a sophisticated logistics business and the global efforts to dismantle its financial architecture.
#978: The Donkey's Alma Mater: Storrs and the Land-Grant Legacy
Explore the agricultural roots and mysterious past of the world's most educated donkey in the quiet village of Storrs, Connecticut.
#404: Beyond the Screenshot: Proving Your Digital Evidence
Can a thumbs-up be a binding contract? Learn how to authenticate digital messages and protect your legal rights in the age of AI forgeries.
#351: The Art of the Drudge: Why Gritty Detective Shows Win
Tired of "magical enhance buttons"? Herman and Corn dive into the gritty world of realistic PI shows like Strike, Bosch, and Slow Horses.
#279: When a Mold Dispute Made Me a Secret Recorder
When a landlord dispute gets messy, a smartphone isn't enough. Discover the professional tools and laws for gathering reliable audio evidence.
#273: How AI Stylometry Lets Authors Vanish
Can you truly hide behind a pen name? Herman and Corn explore the history of pseudonyms and how AI is revolutionizing the art of staying anonymous.
#251: Private Investigators: The Real Law Behind the Mystery
Can a PI actually plant a bug? Herman and Corn debunk TV myths and explore the strict legal reality of modern private investigation.