Interesting But WTF Department

[Dave James]

Today's installment: Forensic Reconstruction

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-civil-war-coldcase-20120306,0,3116969.story

[JSngry]

They did this to Cleopatra's sister the other night on some cable channel. I also saw them do it to the Shroud of Turin for the "first ever look at the possible face of Jesus" about a year ago.

Algorithms run amok!

[Shawn]

They do this stuff on Bones all the time.

[Jim R]

Maybe they could attempt to bring back Joan Rivers' face.

[JSngry]

Or her wit...

[7/4]

Both may be lost to the sands of time.

[JSngry]

But where there's sand, there's silicon...

[jazzbo]

They've been doing this for some time in forensic and archaeological circles. It's a cool gig. No one comes forward and says "Hey that doesn't look like me/my grandmum/my five great grandfather David"!

[sonnymax]

...I also saw them do it to the Shroud of Turin for the "first ever look at the possible face of Jesus" about a year ago.

Those investigations never cease to make me chuckle. First, the "image" on the shroud bears little if any resemblance to the people who were living in that area during that time. Second, the "image" contradicts biblical accounts of Jesus's physical appearance after being tortured prior to the crucifixion: “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14).

[JSngry]

The notion of the "first look" at a "possible face" cracked me up. Hell, what else have we been seeing for centuries but a "possible face"? It's not like we got any Polaroids for comparison, ya' know?

[Dave James]

Here's Jesus in some grout:

[sonnymax]