| Author | Message | ||
     sydlit |
I have a friend who is an identical twin. She told me about her sister entering the armed forces, I'm thinking it was the navy but don't remember. She herself was fingerprinted for a new job position and when the fingerprints were added to the FBI collection, the computer spit out her sister's prints. She had to fly to where her sister was stationed to prove they were twins and not just one person. Maybe it's not the norm, but it did happen. After a more thourough examination, slight differences were found. | ||
| Steve |
Phil, They would be different. Any competent examiner would be able to see that as easily as if the detail were from people born centuries apart from each other. If you're trying to push the "evil twin" theory, you may want to use DNA instead. Steve | ||
| Phil Hawley |
Mr. German, It seems clear from your writings and postings here that identical twins have different fingerprints. As a fiction writer, let me ask a more specific question. Assume you're dealing with a pair of identical twins: evil twin A, and his virtuous sibling, twin B. Now assume that twin "A" leaves a single, partial print from one finger (say, 1/2 of the right middle fingertip). Is it conceivable that this partial print fragement could match the same region from the right middle finger of twin "B"? In other words, while a comparison of latent prints from multiple fingers would easily differentiate between the two twins, is it possible that the twins might have smaller sections of, say, one or two fingers that are identical? In answering this question, assume that this is one of many cases on the fingerprint analyst's docket (i.e., it's a real-life situation). Thus, he analyzes the latent print at whatever level of detail would be accorded a "typical" murder case. Nothing more and nothing less. Thanks in advance for your help. Phil | ||
| Webmaster |
Being a twin means that the other twin will ALWAYS be an environmental factor, pressing against the other, sometimes on top, etc. In a computer model, it might be possible to imagine no environmental factors, no differential growth relative to the other twin, no instance of one twin ever being on top of the other, no instance of one twin growing larger or faster, etc..., but not in the real world. Over a century of observing and categorizing fingerprints has failed to find two areas of friction skin identical between the fingers or hands of twins, siblings, family members or between any two of the many millions of unrelated persons recorded in fingerprint repositories. | ||
| M&M |
IF THERE ARE NO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS DURING PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT THAT AFFECT THE RANDOM LOCATION OF THE INVIDUAL FRICTION RIDGE CHARACTERISTICS ON IDENTICAL TWINS, DO THEY COME TO HAVE THE SAME FINGER PRINT? | ||
| Ed Geman |
Twins' fingerprints are not exactly the same. Their fingerprints (and footprints/palmprints) may have the same general ridge flow and appearance or classification (just as identical twins look very similar), but the individual ridge endings, bifurcations and dots will be in completely different unit relationships. All Level 2 and 3 detail will be different between identical twins, or any two other persons. Many different environmental factors during prenatal development affect the random location of the invidual friction ridge characteristics on identitical twins or any fetus. One twin may be on top much of the time, or one may clench their fists more than the other twin. Additionally, all the usual developmental stress and differential growth variables present when there is only one fetus would contribute to random friction ridge location and shape on twins' hands and feet. In the words of Dr. William Babbler during the 1999 Daubert Hearing (page 6) ...there is genetic basis for the formation of the friction ridges, especially at Level 1 detail (meaning the basic whorl, loop and arch patterns) and that other factors, including ontogenetic or pigenetic factors, which reflect the interaction of the genes and the local developing environment, contribute to the asymmetry of all of the human body including friction ridges ... the asymmetry of the body, including friction ridge variation, results in a significant way from developmental stress. ...environmental factors, including chemicals taken into the body, the differential growth and development of the bones in the hands, and the actual dimension of the bones themselves contribute to the variation noted in the friction ridge skin. --Ed German | ||
| sd |
are identical twins fingerprints exactly the same. why or why not. thankyou |
