The Dubious Science of Arson Investigation

# Stuff You Should Know - Arson Investigation

This episode dives deep into the troubling history of arson investigation and how faulty science has put innocent people behind bars and even on death row. Josh and Chuck explore how fire investigation evolved from folklore and intuition rather than actual scientific methods, examining famous cases like that of Cameron Todd Willingham and the landmark experiments that finally proved many traditional arson indicators were completely wrong. It's a fascinating and eye-opening look at how junk science persisted in courts for decades despite mounting evidence that it was sending people to prison for crimes they didn't commit.