Answer to Question #167671 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Jasmine Elfaqir

Question

Investigating the theft of a supermarket, police officers quickly found the culprit from the fingerprints he left on the safe. Uncover the secret of the origin of the skin pattern on the fingertips.

Answer 1

person's fingerprints are formed when they are a tiny developing baby in their mother's womb. Pressure on the fingers from the baby touching, and their surroundings create what are called "friction ridges", the faint lines you see on your fingers and toes. These ridges are completely formed by the time a fetus is 6 months old, that is 3 months before the baby is born.