Introduction: Within this web-site there will be images that could be seen as disturbing.  If blood makes you uncomfortable then I would suggest seeking out another page.  If you do not mind it so much keep the following in mind: Limitations: I am by no means a forensic scientist.  While much of the information that I have used comes from experts in the field of physics, forensic analysis, and specifically blood stain pattern analysts, I cannot claim such expertise.  Every calculation, experiment, and equation comes with an inherent chance of error from many different sources.  I do not know these error values are not explained in this website.  You can find all sources that I use in the Bibliography. Content: Blood Spatter Analysis is a discipline where a specially trained scientist looks at the blood stains, such as the one imaged to the the left, and determines information such as what caused the stain.  For example they can find if the stain was caused by a gunshot, stabbing, slicing, or blunt force trauma.  Just as importantly they can find the position of the person that is bleeding.  They are highly valued in violent cases in court. In recent years we have been privileged to a great many sources of watchable media that has depicted a blood spatter analyst at work.  While dramatized to make the show or movie more interesting, shows like CSI and Dexter (Shown at left) have allowed us to peer into some of the methods of these professionals. In 1895, the first study on bloodstain patterns was published.  It was conducted by Dr. Eduard Piotrowski of Poland and spurred investigators in Europe to further develop his findings.  It wouldn't be until 1955 when blood spatter analysis would be used in an American legal case in Ohio v. Samuel Sheppard.  In the case, the blood showed where the accused was standing and with which hand the victim was stabbed with, which was not the primary hand of Sheppard.