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THE NEW SCIENCE OF
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“Unknown Boy.”
Boy.” It was the community’s very
technology helped uncover
own mystery.
Unknown Boy’s name: He was
veryone in Bibb County,
Alabama, knew about the “Unknown
Then in 2021, a new
Back in 1961, a car crashed off a
Daniel Paul Armantrout. He
bridge, sinking into the dark waters
had run away from his home in
of the Cahaba (kah-HAH-bah) River.
Tennessee, and his family never
The driver survived, but the 15-year-
knew what had happened to him.
old hitchhiker who was riding with him did not.
Who was this boy? He had no ID, and no one
in town knew him. Police tried for weeks—with
no luck—to find his family. Eventually, people
in the community came together and bought
a gravestone. For decades, he was known as
How was this 60-year-old mystery finally
solved?
It was all thanks to something called DNA.
What Is DNA?
Did you know that wherever you go, you leave
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behind part of yourself?
VOCABULARY
technology: an invention that involves
science
unique: unlike any other
database: a collection of stored
information, often on a computer
confirmed: removed doubt
interpret: to decide on or explain the
meaning of
26 March 2023 | Scholastic Action
You sip from a water bottle and toss it in the
recycling bin. You blow your nose in a tissue and
forget about it. Your saliva, your snot, your hair,
your blood—they all contain your DNA.
So what is DNA? DNA, which is passed on to
you by your parents, is the material in your body
that stores all the information that makes you you.
It controls your hair and eye color and so much
more—and it can be seen only under a strong
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (FINGERPRINTS); BIBB COUNTY SHERIFF JODY WADE AND IDENTIFINDERS INTERNATIONAL (GRAVESTONE); ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLYN RIDSDALE
Could you help crack a difficult case or solve an unsolved
mystery? Read on to find out. BY ANNA STARECHESKI
â
27
DNA through a
microscope
WHAT IS DNA? DNA is found in every cell in your body. It’s really tiny and can be seen only under a
strong microscope. DNA looks like a twisted ladder. Your DNA helps determine how you look.
microscope.
Every person’s DNA is unique, which makes
it one of the best tools for solving crimes, and
family trees. Gillis used her skills to solve the
mystery of Daniel Armantrout.
So how did Gillis do it? She used DNA provided
police have been using it since 1986. They can
by Bibb County officials to find a family match in
take DNA from a crime scene and run it through a
a DNA database. It was the boy’s cousin. Then she
database of criminals’ DNA. If there’s a match,
found that cousin’s relatives—and simply started
they know they’ve found their suspect.
calling people. Misty’s search finally led her to
But if the suspect has never been a criminal,
then their DNA wouldn’t be in the database. That’s
where an exciting new tool has come in.
Family Trees
Within the past 10 years, it has become easy
Danny’s brother, who confirmed that Danny had
run away in 1961.
Unknown Boy was unknown no more.
A Powerful Tool
Hundreds of unsolved cases have been solved
for anyone to test their DNA. Millions of people
since police started using DNA databases in this
have spit into little plastic tubes and sent those
way. But some people worry about whether their
tubes off to companies like AncestryDNA and
DNA could get a family member in trouble. And
23andMe for testing. Why? The results can help
what’s next? Will you get fined for littering if a cup
them find long-lost relatives and give them clues
blows out of your hand and police later test the
as to what part of the world their family comes
DNA on the cup?
from.
For now, there are rules in place that protect
Some people, like Misty Gillis, have become
experts in using these DNA databases to build
people’s privacy. Only certain DNA databases
allow the police to use them. (For example, the
biggest ones—AncestryDNA and 23andMe—don’t.)
Those databases can be used only to solve violent
Many experts are excited about the
possibilities. Unknown victims like Daniel can be
given a name, and cases that have stumped police
To test your own DNA,
just spit in this tube!
for years can be solved—sometimes in hours!
Who knew a little spit could be such a
powerful tool? •
28 March 2023 | Scholastic Action
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crimes—not smaller crimes like littering.
THE TRUTH ABOUT
LIE DETECTORS
Versions of lie detector tests have been used for hundreds of years.
But should we depend on them to solve crimes? BY ANNA STARECHESKI
NOW
THEN
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (LIE DETECTOR, NOW); EWING GALLOWAY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (THEN)
I
magine that you’re in ancient China. You’ve
questions—such as What’s your name? and What
been accused of a crime, but you swear you didn’t
year is it?—that have only one right answer. This
do it. And now you’ve got a mouth full of dry rice.
shows the examiner how your body responds when
Why?
you’re more comfortable with the answer. Then,
You’re being given one of the earliest known
lie detector tests.
Lie detector tests have been used throughout
they ask what they really want to know, such as
Did you do it? It’s up to the examiner to interpret
the results and decide whether you’re lying or not.
history to try to solve crimes. This early one in
Obviously, there are problems with this. A
China was based on the simple idea that lying
polygraph measures your stress level, not whether
makes you nervous, which makes your mouth dry.
you’re lying—and being accused of a crime would
If you spit out the rice and it was dry, you were
make anyone feel stressed! Plus, if you Google
guilty. Not surprisingly, it didn’t always work.
“how to beat a lie detector,” you’ll learn that it’s
Lie detectors have improved over time.
The modern lie detector, invented in 1921, is a
very possible.
Fortunately, polygraphs are almost never used
machine called a polygraph. Basically, it measures
as evidence anymore. But a few decades ago, a
your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and
failed polygraph test could put you in jail.
sweat.
It all makes you wonder: How will we be
An examiner may begin by asking you simple
ACTION
ACTIVITY
PUT IT TOGETHER!
solving crimes 100 years from now? •
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FURTHER!
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ONLINE.
Scholastic Action | March 2023 29