Why Do Humans Have Fingerprints?

Imagine your skin is like a sponge with little hills and valleys. When you touch something, these hills and valleys leave behind marks, that’s your fingerprint! Every person has different patterns because no two sponges are exactly alike. Scientists think this helps humans hold on to things better.

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Examples

A child touches a chalkboard, their fingerprints leave tiny marks behind.
Your thumb prints are different from your brother’s, even though you both play video games.
Fingerprints help you hold onto your phone when it's wet.

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Categories: Biology · fingerprint· skin anatomy· human biology· genetics· biometrics