5 Fingerprinting Facts to Impress Your Colleagues and Friends

Did you know that July 27th is National Fingerprint Day? To honor this auspicious day that passed quietly by over the weekend, shadowed by the opening Olympic games, we’ve assembled five fun and interesting facts about the invisible prints we leave wherever we go.??

Fact 1: Babylonians used fingerprints as a form of ID?

We’ve all seen movies and read book plots where an important document like a will or contract was forged. To prevent issues with forgery in the Babylonian empire, fingerprints were used. That’s right—historians have discovered several clay tablets of legal contracts, dating to about 1900 BC, where fingerprints were used as seals. Another interesting fact?? Babylonians who were arrested, were also fingerprinted.??

Fact 2: Humans develop fingerprints long before they are born?

Scientists have determined that fingerprints form on every human baby between 10 and 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months). When your fingerprints begin to take shape, they are influenced by certain factors, such as your parents’ genes. And once formed, your prints will remain the same throughout your lifetime.??

Fact 3: Everyone’s prints are unique?

It sounds incredible to believe, especially when you consider the billions of humans on the planet, but it’s true. While all fingerprints contain certain patterns within them, such as loops, whorls and arches, every person’s set of prints is unique to them. Even identical twins won’t have the same fingerprints (that’s one way for confused parents to tell them apart). A perfect fingerprint can provide 175–180 points of information, but even a less-than-perfect print can still be used for identification.?

This uniqueness is why fingerprints are used by law enforcement and government agencies alike to confirm a person’s identity. It's also why our Trusted Agents collect thousands of prints every year to verify, identify and credential aviation personnel.?

Fact 4: Koalas have fingerprints too!?

Okay, we know this is a completely useless fact, unless you are a biologist or maybe another koala, but these cute and cuddly looking creatures have fingerprints so similar to humans that like us, no two are alike. They can even be easily confused with a human’s prints. (But please don’t bring us your koala for fingerprinting—we don’t keep eucalyptus on hand for them to snack on.)?

Koalas are not the only animals to have fingerprints though. Orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas and other primates have their own fingerprints. In fact, to prevent poaching, one zoo in the UK partnered with their local police department in 2002 to collect fingerprints from their Sulawesi macaque primates. Now, that would be a challenge for any fingerprint technician!??

Fact 5: We collect fingerprints from over 350 worldwide locations!?

Our global network of 350+ locations collect fingerprints in support of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) aviation security programs. These programs include:??

• Twelve-Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP)?

• Private Charter Standard Security Program (PCSSP)?

• Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (AOSSP)?

• Full All-Cargo Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (FACAOSSP)?

• Flight Training Security Program (FTSP)?

• Maryland Three Program (MD-3)?

Our certified Trusted Agents are in locations such as Italy, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Canada, the UK, France and China.

To certify as a Fingerprint Technician, click here.??