Science Cafe: Fingerprints

Posted Friday, February 5, 2010

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Fingerprints have been used for centuries to identify people and are one of the most common crime-fighting tools. But with advancements in DNA, GPS, and iris scanners, are fingerprints losing status? Forensic scientists say fingerprints are still one of the most reliable tools they have to crack crimes but only if handled properly. On a Science Café edition of the Sound of Ideas, we’ll investigate the whorls, loops and arches on our fingers. We'll uncover why we have fingerprints, how they’re lifted from crime scenes and hear about the switch from ink and roll to digital technology. Join Regina Brett and guests, Friday morning at 9 on 90.3.

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Guests

Michelle Snyder, Forensic Scientist, Latent Print Unit, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation
Dan Winterich, Senior Special Agent, Crime Scene Unit, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation

Additional Information

Learn more about Fingerprints:
Latent Fingerprint Examination
Taking Legible Fingerprints, FBI
Check out more Science Cafe Cleveland topics. Next month: Ohio Glaciers.
Science Cafe Cleveland is the second Monday of every month at the Great Lakes Brewing Company. Drinks start at 6:30pm and the discussion is at 7pm.
Download the Kids Safety Passport for helpful tips on taking fingerprints and more.

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Jason 10:58 AM 2/5/10

Regarding the issue of children fingerprinting: If fingerprinting is difficult but DNA swabs are an alternative maybe there should be an option to have your child’s DNA collected at birth. Has this ever been proposed?

Karen Cooper 10:17 AM 2/7/10

Good morning!
If someone has an accident and cuts his finger, does the finger print changes or with time the skin will regenerate itself to get back to the same finger print?