Fingerprint Forensics: History and Science Quiz

What did the character Pudd'nhead Wilson call a person's fingerprints?

• Their physical signature
• Their physiological autograph
• Their biological barcode
• Their dermal imprint

Which ancient civilization commonly used fingerprints on official documents?

• Egypt
• Greece
• Rome
• China

When did fingerprints start to form during fetal development?

• 5th week
• 10th week
• 15th week
• 20th week

What protects fingerprints after they are formed?

• Inner layer of dermis
• Outer layer of epidermis
• Basal layer of skin
• Sweat glands

Who first described nine distinct fingerprint patterns in 1823?

• Dr. Nehemiah Grew
• Johann Christoph Andreas Mayer
• Jan Evangelist Purkyn
• Sir William Herschel

Which type of fingerprint is NOT typically found at a crime scene?

• Patent
• Plastic
• Latent
• Prominent

In what year did Dr. Nehemiah Grew describe fingerprint patterns under a microscope?

• 1584
• 1684
• 1784
• 1884

Which layer of skin are fingerprints formed in?

• Outer layer of epidermis
• Basal layer of skin
• Dermis
• Subcutaneous layer

What time period were fingerprints first pressed into clay tablet contracts?

• 1000-800 B.C.
• 1792-1750 B.C.
• 500-100 B.C.
• 1-500 A.D.

Why do you think fingerprints are unique to each person?

• They are determined by DNA
• They form randomly during development
• They change throughout a person's life
• They are influenced by a person's diet