ACT Science Question of the Day

Two scientists are examining the fragmented skeletal remains of an unidentified person. To begin work on identification, they must start by determining several characteristics about the individual, including sex. When determining sex, a measurement index can be used. Measurements can be taken from various points on the skeleton, such as the scapula or the femur, which then correspond to documented averages for different sexes, which vary with ancestry. In this individual of Latin American ancestry, the scapular breadth has measured 22.0cm, which is the only true sex-determining measurement that can be taken from these remains. In their reference books, the scientists find that this measurement in Latin American females ranges from 18.0-22.0cm and 22.0-24.0cm for Latin American males. Both scientists make a case using other supporting evidence as to which sex this unidentified individual may be.

Scientist 1

Sex can be clearly defined through context clues. Items found with the body and the way the body was found can both be used to determine the sex of the individual in cases such as this which lack other sex-determining measurements. The remains were found with small tennis shoes (size 8), which would generally be indicative of a female. The bag found with the body contained waterlogged copies of several popular magazines, as well as a broken cell phone, nail clippers, and a tube of lip balm. These items are generally more associated with items commonly carried by and used by female individuals rather than males. Because of abundant context clues, this individual can be determined to be female despite ambiguous measurements.

Scientist 2

Clues about the sex of the individual can come from multiple sources. Context clues, such as the items found with the body, can help. The small shoes and stereotypically female-associated objects found with the remains can give an indication that the person must likely have been female. Another way to help determine sex is through estimated overall stature of the person – men are generally larger and more robustly built than females of the same ancestry. A rough estimation of stature of this individual would indicate that they were about 5’10” tall and heavily muscled. While not impossible for a female, this is a build that is much more likely to belong to a male individual. Though the context clues seem to point toward a female, the stature of the individual strongly suggests male.

Which of the following statements would be accepted by both scientists?