Can you get away with murder?
And the value of community policing.
NSTers, we’ve got a wild one today.
After listening to a John Mulaney joke about the primitive nature of old-timey homicide investigations, I was inspired to look into how exactly the field of criminology has progressed since then. One would think that with the advancements in forensic technologies, it would be much harder to get away with murder today than it was in the 90s, for example. But as it turns out, only half of homicide cases are solved in the US these days, a sizable downgrade from the 90s, which famously featured far more homicides.
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Enter: today’s episode of NO SUCH THING, in which I set out to understand why this is happening by doing three things.
Interviewing Dr. Brian Forst, a professor and criminologist at American University.
Chatting with Chris McDonough, a retired homicide detective with on-the-ground experience.
And finally, just to really get to the bottom of this…
Making Noah and Devan come up with plans to “un-alive” each other and presenting said plans to the former detective to see if they would get away with it.
The results are truly fascinating.
More laundry questions!
We got a lot of feedback on last week’s laundry mailbag episode, so here are a few more questions and extra context:
Liquid detergent and sensitive skin: One listener pointed out that there may be an additional bonus for powdered detergent over liquid, aside from being less messy. Turns out most liquid laundry detergents use a preservative called methylisothiazolinone to prevent bacteria growth. This chemical can cause some skin allergies like contact dermatitis, and our listener reported his wife’s skin cleared up once they stopped using products with methylisothiazolinone in it. It’s also often found in make-up and shampoo, and the EU banned its use in leave-on products almost a decade ago.
Fabric softeners and endocrine disruptors: Another listener reached out about the claim that fabric softeners contain endocrine disruptors. This has been repeated in wellness circles and it seems like the answer varies by brand and specific type of product. Studies like this do show a number of endocrine disrupting chemicals in fabric softeners and other products, added mainly as fragrance and preservatives. But the biggest crime is these products might not even do much to soften your clothes. Also, per this 2002 story, softener may make your clothes more flammable! Stay safe out there.
Is “Dry clean only” real?:And lastly (for now), one listener wanted more clarity on what it means when an item says “DRY CLEAN ONLY” on the tag, and if she could risk washing her stained cashmere sweater at home. Patric says: Yes! He reads “dry clean only” as essentially “wash with caution.” He elaborates in this clip:
Thanks and feel free to send in any other questions you may still have at the email below!
Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (860) 325-0286.
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