Our fingertips have an extraordinarily high sensitivity to touch – and now it looks like that sensitivity might be largely confined to the ridges of our fingerprints. “They really help us get very ...

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to ...

Why do we have fingerprints? While impressive, it's not just to unlock a smartphone or catch a bad guy. Here's what the science says. Most people associate fingerprints with the ability to solve ...

Fingerprints are those little ridges on the tips of your fingers. They’re essentially folds of the outer layer of skin, the epidermis. The “prints” themselves are the patterns of skin oils or dirt ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Mapped across our fingertips is a diverse, intricate landscape. The ...

Like most (if not all) Hackaday readers, I like to know how the technology I use works. I’m always amazed, for example, how many otherwise smart people have no idea how the cellphone network works ...

Fingerprints make humans unique, but what about animals? Here's what we know. The post Did You Know? These Animals Have ...

Fingerprint unlocking, with all its flaws and sensitivities, is an increasingly popular way to unlock your smartphone. That method is headed to your front door, too. Smart locks are beginning to ...

It's potentially a powerful new tool for law enforcement. A team of Dutch forensic scientists has discovered how to accurately date fingerprints to within one or two days of when they were left on an ...

Finding a fingerprint on the casing of a fired bullet was once a nearly impossible task. But scientists have at last achieved a breakthrough. Researchers at Maynooth University in Ireland have now ...

Since the dawn of modern fingerprinting, lifting prints from bullet casings has been thought to be impossible due to damage caused by the intense temperatures, gas, and friction of firing a gun. A new ...