In 1910, Thomas Jennings fled the scene of a crime, but left a clue that would forever doom his fate: his fingerprint in fresh paint on a railing outside the house where he had committed the crime. His fingerprints were the first to be used as evidence in a criminal investigation, and he was convicted of murder in 1911. Since then, fingerprints remain essential in forensic investigations, although they have many more uses.
Various theories about its function
According to Roland Ennos, professor of biology at the University of Hull in the UK, fingerprints give us grip. According to their research, fingerprints could help us grip surfaces in wet conditions, similar to car tire tracks. In this way, our hands are prevented from slipping across a surface.
Another widely accepted theory among the scientific community is that fingerprints could help touch. Our fingers contain four types of mechanoreceptors or cells that respond to stimulation (such as touch). According to Georges Debrégeas, a biologist at the Sorbonne University in Paris, these mechanoreceptors are very sensitive to small vibrations and, therefore, contribute to giving our fingertips their characteristic sensitivity.
However, Debrégeas believes that fingerprints can be used for both touch and grip, as the reason we can easily manipulate objects is because we have an excellent sense of touch. In fact, thanks to touch we can correct in real time the force with which we are going to grasp an object, as the biologist argues.
Likewise, Debrégeas believes that our sense of touch and our grip have been able to evolve together. He has also found another explanation, and that is that fingerprints could prevent blisters in the event of burns, as they strengthen the skin and allow it to stretch. However, despite the fact that numerous investigations have been carried out (and they are essential for detectives and policemen) its true function remains an enigma for us.
