Sharp force trauma analysis without animal bones: A proposal for sustainable and ethical bone proxies

Lawrence, B, Steiger, GS ORCID: 0009-0002-1269-257X and Borrini, M ORCID: 0000-0003-3863-4992 (2026) Sharp force trauma analysis without animal bones: A proposal for sustainable and ethical bone proxies. Journal of Forensic Sciences. ISSN 0022-1198

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Abstract

Sharp force trauma has been the leading cause of homicide in England and Wales for more than a decade. Experimental research on sharp force trauma frequently relies on animal bone as a substitute for human remains, yet their ethical acceptability and comparability to human bone remain contested. This study aims to identify non-animal proxy materials capable of replicating the morphological characteristics of cut marks typically observed in porcine bones. A total of 250 cuts were made on pig ribs and on several proxy materials (paraffin, restoration compound, plaster, and beeswax) using a serrated knife. Six morphological traits were then recorded following the analytical framework proposed by Steiger and Borrini (J Forensic Sci, 2024;69:1972). Chi-squared tests of independence and mixed-model analyses demonstrated that different proxy materials vary in their suitability for specific traits, and that among all tested materials, beeswax most closely replicated porcine bone in the context of cut marks produced with a serrated blade. Considering the ethical implications of using animal bone, this research proposes sustainable, cruelty-free alternatives for experimental and educational purposes. Their adoption reflects contemporary ethical awareness regarding animal use in science and promotes ecological and economic sustainability through reusability.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	animal bone proxies; cut-mark analysis; ethical considerations; ethical research practices; forensic anthropology; serrated knife; sharp force trauma; animal bone proxies; cut‐mark analysis; ethical considerations; ethical research practices; forensic anthropology; serrated knife; sharp force trauma; 4401 Anthropology; 44 Human Society; Physical Injury - Accidents and Adverse Effects; 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; 0399 Other Chemical Sciences; 0699 Other Biological Sciences; 1103 Clinical Sciences; Legal & Forensic Medicine; 3199 Other biological sciences; 3499 Other chemical sciences; 4402 Criminology
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions:	Biological and Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	Wiley
Date of acceptance:	18 June 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	26 August 2026
Date Deposited:	26 Aug 2026 10:14
Last Modified:	26 Aug 2026 10:14
DOI or ID number:	10.1111/1556-4029.70402
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29199

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