University Of Leicester Classify Force Involved In Stabbing Glass Bottle

If forensics has always fascinated you and you have a detective mind, then a recent study by University of Leicester might interest you. Researchers at University of Leicester have successfully classified and calculated the force required in stabbing with the help of a shattered glass bottle. The detailed study in this regard has enabled the scientists to get a first set of data of stabbing force required for a glass bottle.

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Gary Nolan examines the impressions of shattered glass on a skin simulant.

In the conventional study of glass bottle stabbings, the reconstruction of the incident can be misleading to calculate the force applied to inure the opponent. The research was carried out by a PhD student working with Department of Engineering, University of Leicester and East Midlands Forensic pathology lab. In that experiment, scientists took the impressions of shattered glass on a skin stimulant. The skin stimulant consisted of foam having a layer of silicon rubber. In this experiment the scientists could successfully classify the presenting end of glass bottle.

It has always been a difficult aspect to correctly provide the data about the amount of force involved in causing an injury using glass. The study can have far reaching implications on court cases in such incidents. The research points out that whenever a bottle is smashed, it forms a unique 'stabbing surface' which governs the magnitude of force required to penetrate an object with glass as a weapon.

The scientists are now working on how to develop glass and other related materials which will have less damaging surfaces. It would be beneficial in preventing casualties. For that they are trying to enhance their knowledge of designing of safer pint glasses. The researchers are also collaborating with   Materials Knowledge Transfer Network and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining to design the same.

The present research will enable forensic experts to understand the magnitude of force for piercing the skin. The study also points out the influence of geometry on the force which has always posed a riddle in forensics. The study will be an important forensic tool in UK and other countries where murders due to glass bottle stabbings is a common thing.  The work is published in International Journal of Legal Medicine. 

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