Take the Fingerprint Factoid Test

True or False?

1. Fingerprints have been used for identification purposes for over 2000 years.
2. Charles Darwin's cousin brought fingerprints to Scotland Yard.
3. Identical twins have the same fingerprints.
4. Pygmies have approximately twice as many whorl type fingerprints than most other population sub-groups.
5. You cannot change your fingerprints.
6. Your fingerprints do not predict your future.
7. Your feet have 'fingerprints' too.
8. Different diseases have their unique fingerprint profiles.
9. I lost a finger. I can still get a LifePrints Life Purpose Analysis.
10. The FBI can determine your physical characteristics (sex, height, weight) from your fingerprints.

Answers

1. True. Chinese potters, over 2000 years ago, put their thumb print on jars, vases, and casks to establish ownership.
2. True. Sir Francis Galton, Charles Darwin's cousin, established the scientific validity of fingerprint comparison in 1893. He proved that fingerprints were unique, unalterable, and easily classifiable, opening the door for use by police departments all over the world.
3. False. Maternal (identical, or same egg) twins have similar but not the same fingerprints. As a matter of fact, comparative fingerprint similarity was established in the 1970's to help differentiate same egg twins from separate egg (fraternal) twins. A mathematical formula was created (a coefficient of similarity) that showed a .5 response for same egg twins, .3 for separate egg twins (or any brother, sister comparison) and .1 for any two people at random. Apparently, children of the same parents have significant similarity to each others' fingerprints, but not as much as maternal twins. This information could be important for kidney transplants, etc.
4. True. Different population sub-groups have different percentages of the different fingerprint types. Whereas white, European populations average 25% whorl patterns, the pygmy population has 50% whorls. Early 20th century researchers used this fact to make a case for pygmy inferiority. Since some great apes (they have fingerprints too) show a 50% whorl count, pygmies were said to be backward, more similar to apes, genetically inferior. Many of the early research papers on fingerprints show similar racial and ethnic biases. Interestingly, in the LifePrints system, high numbers of whorls tend to indicate a deeply imbedded Service orientation.
5. True.
6. Genetics influences fingerprints and genetics is destiny, at least to some degree. If you are male, 5'10", you will probably never be the center for your favorite professional basketball team. However, although your fingerprints do not reveal your future, they do reveal your highest potentials. Making it happen is up to you.
7. True. both the hand and foot surfaces, not just the fingertips, contain dermatoglyphic (fingerprint type) markings.
8. True. Doctors and other scientists are studying fingerprints to help diagnose disease early on. They have discovered that different fingerprint profiles are associated with different physical and behavioral conditions. This study is called dermatoglyphics (derma=skin, glyphics=carvings: skin carvings), a name coined by Dr. Harold Cummins, Univ. of Oklahoma, the father of fingerprint analysis.
9. Yes. Seeing the other nine fingerprints will give your fingerprint analyst an excellent chance to decode your Life Purpose.
10. False. They have tried. However, the FBI has been unsuccessful at decoding physical characteristics from a set or individual fingerprint. You can imagine why this would be of interest to law enforcement. If they could lift a fingerprint from the murder weapon and, without a witness, issue an accurate all points bulletin, what an asset that would be. So far, no go. Other traits, such as leadership, creativity, communication skills of different types, etc. do correlate with certain combinations of fingerprint patterns.