#463 Dr Mark Spencer on Forensic Botany Hidden Evidence & Solving Crime Through Nature

About this episode

Dr Mark Spencer discusses how forensic botany aids in crime scene investigations and locating missing persons.

This episode takes you into a side of investigation most people never even realise exists. I sat down with forensic botanist Dr Mark Spencer who has spent over a decade supporting police forces and forensic teams by using plants, pollen, soil and environmental evidence to interpret crime scenes, locate missing persons and uncover what has happened in complex cases. From disturbed vegetation to microscopic trace evidence Mark explains how the natural world can reveal movement, timelines and hu...

People in this episode

Host: Pete Wakefield

Guest: Dr Mark Spencer

Topics covered

• forensic botany
• crime investigation
• environmental evidence
• missing persons
• plant analysis

Keywords

• forensic botany
• crime scenes
• plants
• pollen
• soil
• environmental evidence
• investigation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: police forces, forensic teams

More episodes of Firefighter Podcast

• #484 You Can't Put It Out - Thermal Runaway, EV Fires & the Health Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight with Martin Brown · June 11, 2026 · 1h 11m
• #483 Debrief - Doorway to Hell | 2 Forest Laneway, North York, Toronto, Canada | January 6th 1995 · June 8, 2026 · 46 min
• #482 AFOA 2026 Conference Live - Developing the All-Hazard Leader with Peter Critchell and Craig Rayner · June 5, 2026 · 58 min
• #481 Rescue, Transform, Donate: Sustainable Luxury with Kresse Wesling of Elvis & Kresse · June 3, 2026 · 1h 11m
• #480 High Rise Masterclass with Brent Brooks Episode 2 · June 1, 2026 · 1h 11m
• #479 The Evolution of Structural Firefighting PPE: Reigniting a New Era with Bill Lawson and Helmut Zepf from PBI · May 27, 2026 · 1h 14m