Fingerprinting began in 1984 No-one has the same fingerprints, even our own body doesn't. Each finger can be different. By 6 months in the womb your fingerprints are developed and shaped which will last a lifetime. They don't change. A scientist proved the validity of fingerprinting for police use by shaving his fingerprints. They grew back in the same pattern. The three shapes categorised for identification:- Arches, loops, whorls But more shapes are listed such as double loop, tented arch, plain loop. I did my prints and found my thumb and forefinger are double loop and then they go into plain loop and I think my little finger in a whorl. I also did my parents fingerprints and my Dad has a Whorl thumb print and a double loop forefinger, but the rest weren't clear. My mum's thumb is a plain loop and forefinger is a whorl with the rest unclear. Pretty fascinating if genetics play a part in the development of fingerprints. I just need to do my twin brother's. ht