• Question: How are fingerprints form??

    Asked by anon-187836 to Stewart, Miriam, Marton, Laura, Kathryn, David on 12 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Laura Kent

      Laura Kent answered on 12 Nov 2018:

      Great question. Im not an expert on this but I think it happens when you are developing in the womb! They form when the developing fingers puts pressure and ‘touches’ the surroundings.

    • Photo: Stewart Martin-Haugh

      Stewart Martin-Haugh answered on 12 Nov 2018:

      I had to look into this, but it was fun!

      It’s thought that fingerprints help gripping rough and wet surfaces and are formed by different overlapping skin layers.

      Fun fact: koalas have such similar fingerprints to humans that experts can’t tell them apart:
      https://io9.gizmodo.com/5798400/koalas-have-exactly-the-same-fingerprints-as-humans

      Since human ancestors climbed trees, and koalas definitely climb trees, it’s thought they are useful when climbing trees.

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