Edmond Locard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edmond Locard
Born	(1877-12-13)13 December 1877 Saint-Chamond, Loire, French Third Republic
Died	4 May 1966(1966-05-04) (aged 88) Lyon, France
Nationality	French
Citizenship	French
Known for	First police laboratory, Locard's exchange principle, Sherlock Holmes of France
Children	Denise Stagnara
Scientific career
Fields	Forensic science, Public health
Influences	Alexandre Lacassagne
Influenced	Georges Simenon

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Dr. Edmond Locard (born December 13, 1877 – died May 4, 1966) was a French scientist. He was a pioneer in forensic science, which uses science to solve crimes. People called him the "Sherlock Holmes of France".

Locard created a very important rule for forensic science. It is called Locard's exchange principle. This rule says: "Every contact leaves a trace." This means that whenever two things touch, they always leave something behind. For example, a criminal might leave a fingerprint or a fiber from their clothes at a crime scene.

About Edmond Locard

Edmond Locard was born in Saint-Chamond, France, on December 13, 1877. He studied both medicine and law in Lyon, France. Later, he worked as an assistant to Alexandre Lacassagne. Lacassagne was a professor who studied crime.

In 1910, Locard had a big idea. He wanted to start a special lab to help police solve crimes. He convinced the Lyon Police Department to give him two small rooms in an attic. He also got two assistants. This small lab became the very first police forensic laboratory in Europe.

Locard's daughter, Denise, was born in Paris on November 18, 1917.

Locard wrote a huge, seven-book series called Traité de Criminalistique. This means "Treatise on Criminalistics." He also helped create a way to identify people using fingerprints. He was the first to organize the specific points on a fingerprint that help identify someone. These are sometimes called "Galton points."

Locard continued his important research in Lyon until he passed away in 1966.

Locard's Impact on Science

Edmond Locard is known as the father of modern forensic science. His Exchange Principle is still used today. It is the main idea behind all forensic work. This principle helps police find clues like hair, fibers, or dirt left at a crime scene. These tiny clues can link a suspect to a crime.

A famous detective writer named Georges Simenon even attended some of Locard's lectures around 1919 or 1920.

In November 2012, Locard was honored. He was added to the French Forensic Science Hall of Fame. This shows how important his work was.

See also

In Spanish: Edmond Locard para niños