this will upset a friend of mine, who had a pet theory about the Royal Surgeon...

I think quite a few people will have their theories dashed. I'm just amazed that it has been solved

o_O

wow

Looks at the source and harrumphs loudly

reads the article and harrumphs even louder

Fogwoman: What?

It has been repeated by the Grauniad and Huffington UK.

The science here is abyssmal, conclusions leap tall buildings with a single bound. That shawl has been all over hell and half of georgia, including several trips to collections of other ripper memorabilia.

Epithelial cells certainly coat organs, including the largest organ of all - our skin.

I would wager that even if the shawl is genuine, you could find DNA evidence of a shitload of people on it. Including the investigators of the crimes.

Stating that the mystery has been solved based on the VERY thin connections they have made is a massive overstatement. There were too many opportunities for contamination even if the results are reliable.

Which I have grave doubts about.

In this case, the comments are more sane and reasonable than the article

But by all means, buy the book! "Naming Jack The Ripper, by Russell Edwards, will be published by Sidgwick & Jackson on September 9, priced £16.99."

From iO9: Three Things To Keep In Mind About The Big Jack The Ripper 'Revea...

On those semen stains: Forensic Tests for Semen: What you should know

All of which is not to say that this isn't the guy. It is to say that their methodology is so sloppy and their science is so bad that stating "beyond reasonable doubt" is ludicrous.

I thought Patricia Cornwell made a convincing argument for William Sickert being Jack in her book Portrait of a Killer

...or the German sailor whose name eludes me that moved to New York and was convicted of murder there

DNA can be an amazing evidentiary tool, but I like other corroborative evidence. Even without the chain of custody issue, semen stains off a prostitute's shawl is sketchy.

sketchy and gross...I never understand people's obsession with trying to solve old murders. (This coming from an Anthropologist) There are over 6000 unsolved murders per year in the US of 'Murica. Obsess there

I'm always a little skeptical of the Daily Mail, but that it's been echoed by other sources makes me feel it's a bit stronger. I'm also skeptical of the "perfect" DNA sample after such a long period of time...

but overall I willing to go with that conclusion. It's interesting stuff.

I think that the murders, the gruesome nature, and the times are what were the draw to it. I always am skeptical of "discoveries" that don't submit to peer review or get independent studies done to corroborate

MortyWatson: Nod nod I understand the feeling after years of study history and anthropology.

MortyWatson most of the unsolved ones you mention are not in the news and don't have that aura of sensationalism.

JedDagger: Just boring ol' women killed normally, no need to bother with them. [/sarcasm at the society]

not really Tanarian if you look at the national average clearance rate it is pretty high (NC is 82%)

JedDagger: High clearance is cool.