Some years ago I watched a piece on whether or not some lady from Virginia (I think) was the Czar of Russia’s daughter Anastasia. DNA evidence proved she wasn’t. THere was one bit of evidence that seemed to support this woman’s claim as being Anastasia, and that was comparing photgraphs of their ears. If I remember correctly the photographs showed her ear matched very well with that from Anastasia.
So I don’t see “unique ear prints” as a solid forensic tool, but I wanted to ask. Are human ears so different that they can be used as a unique identifyer like a fingerprint? Is there any scholarly research to suggest this is a valid method or crappy bunk science?
Yes ears can be used to ID someone just like anyother part of your body. Every part of your body is different then another person. Fingerprints are just the easiest and less invasive way to ID somebody.
In the middle of the 19th century, a French policeman, Alphonse Bertillon, advocated a system of anthropometry where he would collect and store data on the size and shape of organs, among them ears, as a method of unique identification for criminals. This is an article which explores the history of the system, and this one takes a rather critical stance.