What is the reason for fingerprints?

Gimboid

Each fingerprint is unique, without exception. Thus, for law enforcement, it is a very effective means of determining guilt. When a person's fingerprints are discovered at a crime scene, the police will use this evidence to incriminate this person. Dec 09 03, 12:33 PM

TheAlphaWolf

For having a better grip on things. Dec 09 03, 2:40 PM

cwtch

Does one think fingerprints have evolved over millenia for the purposes of modern law enforcment, or could there be a more fundamental reason for their existance? Dec 14 03, 1:31 PM

jongrahar

If there is a painting, there must be a painter. Fingerprints are unique to everyone. They spell out that we were are not cookie-cutter creations. We are hand crafted; even in our biological makeup. Apr 14 07, 12:17 AM

Baloo55th

But we are born, not painted... And koalas have individual fingerprints, which are very similar to those of humans. "The Koala is one of the few mammals (other than primates) that has fingerprints. In fact, koala fingerprints are remarkably similar to human fingerprints; even with an electron microscope, it can be quite difficult to distinguish between the two." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint So the other primates and the koalas can join us in being specially created while everything else is mass produced. Apr 14 07, 7:15 AM