| "body"> | | | | themselves is what makes each fingerprint unique. |
| Fingerprints are something most people don't spend | | | | Despite the incredible number of different |
| too much time thinking about on a daily basis. In fact, | | | | fingerprints, there are only seven different types of |
| unless someone is trying to remove pesky | | | | lines that make up fingerprints. These lines may start, |
| fingerprints from furniture or mirrors, it's unlikely an | | | | stop or split at any place within the print. The |
| average person thinks about fingerprints at all. | | | | formations, angles, lengths, heights and widths make |
| However, for some, fingerprints are a vital part of | | | | billions and billions of different prints. |
| their work life. Law enforcement officers and | | | | With their unique qualities, it becomes easy to see |
| forensic specialists spend hours thinking about how | | | | how fingerprints can help solve crimes. Leaving a |
| fingerprints solve crimes, and trying to find, collect, | | | | fingerprint is like leaving a calling card at the crime |
| record and compare these unique identifiers that can | | | | scene. There are a few different ways fingerprints |
| connect a specific person to a specific crime. These | | | | get left behind by careless crooks. The most |
| individuals understand that a basic human feature that | | | | common way is from fat or oil that is transferred |
| most people take for granted, can be one of the | | | | from the finger to an object like a doorframe or |
| most effective tools in crime solving. | | | | table. Amino acids from the finger may also leave a |
| Every person is born with their own unique set of | | | | discernable mark. Fingerprints can also be detected as |
| fingerprints. No two fingerprints have ever been | | | | an impression in a soft substance such as putty. |
| found to be exactly alike; not on identical twins | | | | Finally, they can be made by a substance on the |
| (although these are extremely similar), not even on a | | | | finger such as blood or paint. |
| person's own hand. The unique whorls and lines that | | | | Uncovering fingerprints to help solve a crime can be |
| make up an individual's fingerprints are formed in the | | | | done in a few ways. Adhering powders to fresh |
| foetal stage and remain the same throughout the | | | | fingerprints will cause the powder to stick to the |
| entire life span. This makes for a unique mark that | | | | grease and make the fingerprint visible. Another |
| can positively identify one individual against another, | | | | method is by using a few drops of cyano-acrylate or |
| particularly useful when a person of interest already | | | | superglue. When these drops are heated, they |
| has a recorded set of fingerprints on file with police, | | | | vaporized and the smoke attaches to the fingerprint |
| military or other government institutions. | | | | leaving a clear white print. Specialised crime scene |
| Fingerprints are made up of a collection of swirling | | | | laboratory equipment can also find fingerprints, but |
| lines. The way these lines form and pattern | | | | not all authorities have access to all equipment. |