Many experts think it’s to improve grip, but a British study from a few years back suggests something else. Researchers found that a fingerprint’s ridges actually made it harder to hold flat, smooth surfaces, like Plexiglas, because they reduced the skin’s contact area. Instead, they think our prints might help wick water off our fingertips or allow our skin to stretch more easily, which can protect it from damage and help prevent blisters. Some scientists have suggested fingerprints could improve our sense of touch. What we do know is that no other human have same fingerprints as you, even if other is your identical twin.
The research was done by - V. Patteson Lombardi, PhD, research assistant professor of biology at the University of Oregon.
