Editorial - Science “Before the Forum” in The Open Forensic Science Journal

The word " forensic " derives from the Latin adjective " forensis " meaning of or before the forum. During the time of the Romans, a criminal charge meant presenting the case before a group of public individuals in the forum. Both the person accused of the crime and the accuser would give speeches based on their side of the story. The individual with the best argument and delivery would determine the outcome of the case. Basically, the person with the sharpest forensic skills would win. This origin is the source of the two modern usages of the word "forensic"-as a form of legal evidence and as a category of public presentation. In modern use, the term "forensics" in place of "forensic science" is now so closely associated with the scientific field that many dictionaries include the meaning that equates the word "forensics" with "forensic science". The ''Eureka'' legend of Archimedes (287-212 BC) can be considered an early account of the use of forensic science. In this case, he determined that a crown was not completely made of gold (as it was fraudulently claimed) by determining its density by measuring its displacement and weight, as he was not allowed to damage the crown. The earliest account of fingerprint use to establish identity was during the 7th century. According to an Arabic merchant, a debtor's fingerprints were affixed to a bill, which would then be given to the lender. This bill was legally recognized as proof of the validity of the debt. In our time, forensic science besides its relevance to the underlying legal system, encompasses the accepted scholarly or scientific methodology and norms under which the facts regarding an event, or an artifact, or some other physical item (such as a corpse, or cadaver, for example) are to the broader notion of authentication whereby an interest outside of a legal form exists in determining whether an object is in fact what it purports to be, or is alleged as being. In this day and age, the Open Forensic Sciences Journal aims to serve as an international online consistent journal for the publication of most recent, original research reports, articles and current developments on all aspects pertaining to the multidisciplinary forensic science, reviewed by the most proficient scientists in, inter alia, medicine, pathology, toxicology, chemistry, biology, firearms, drug abuse. Furthermore, all related and interactive areas of expertise, such as forensic medicine, …