Clyde Snow facts for kids

Clyde Snow (January 7, 1928 – May 16, 2014) was a famous American scientist. He was a forensic anthropologist. This means he used science to study bones and help solve mysteries. He helped identify many important people and victims. These included King Tutankhamun and victims of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Who Was Clyde Snow?

Clyde Snow was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1928. He loved learning! He studied at several universities. He earned degrees in different subjects, like zoology and Anthropology. He finally got his PhD in anthropology in 1967. This made him an expert in studying human culture and development.

Early Career in Forensic Science

In 1968, Snow became the head of forensic anthropology. This was at the Civil Aeromedical Institute. He helped identify victims of plane crashes. This work was very important for air safety.

By 1972, forensic work became a special field. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences recognized it. This showed how important Snow's work was.

Helping Human Rights Around the World

After 1979, Snow focused only on forensic science. He worked with groups that protect human rights. He helped find mass graves in Argentina. These graves held civilians who had been killed.

Snow spent five years training people in Argentina. They formed the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team. Thanks to Snow's work, several officers were found guilty. This success led to another team. The Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Team was created in 1991. They helped victims of the Guatemalan Civil War.

Searching for Outlaws and Historical Mysteries

In 1991, Snow traveled to Bolivia. He was looking for the remains of famous American outlaws. These were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He excavated a grave, but it was not theirs. It belonged to a German miner. No DNA matched the outlaws' families. This search was shown in a British TV show.

Snow also worked in the former Yugoslavia in 1997. He helped investigate mass graves there. He also took part in a re-enactment of an archeological dig. This was for a TV show called Science Detectives.

Later Life and Legacy

In 2004, Snow appeared on a TV show called Unsolved History. The episode was about "Hunting Nazis." He continued to share his knowledge.

As of 2005, Snow lived near Oklahoma City. He taught at the University of Oklahoma. He also gave lectures to police and forensic groups.

Clyde Snow passed away on May 16, 2014. He was 86 years old. His ashes were scattered in places he had worked. These included Argentina, Guatemala, and Iraqi Kurdistan. His work helped bring justice to many people. He showed how science can solve big mysteries.