How Many Calories are on a Smudgy Screen?

TL;DR

Fingerprints are made of natural substances produced by our skin and can be used to sense textures and improve grip. Identical twins have different fingerprints, and there are ways to avoid leaving fingerprints behind.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. And I'm home for the holidays. I'm in my parents' basement, using a different camera than usual. But you know what is always different? Fingerprints. The palms of our hands and the soles of our feet are weird. They are covered with friction ridges, which act like the design of a stamp that stamps everything you touch. Pla... Read More

Key Insights

• 🖐️ Fingerprints are made of natural substances that keep our skin healthy and play a role in gripping and sensing textures.
• 😋 Licking clean a smudgy smartphone screen burns a small number of calories.
• 😋 Human breast milk is the only food that can be consumed every day without the need for variety.
• ❓ Identical twins have different fingerprints due to the specific conditions around the development of their skin.
• 🛟 Fingerprints serve purposes such as sensing textures and improving grip.
• ❓ Different methods for matching fingerprints exist, each with a different probability of a false match.
• ❓ Certain skin conditions and adolescence can cause fingerprints to disappear temporarily.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are fingerprints made of?

Fingerprints are made of natural substances produced by our skin to keep it healthy, waterproof, and pliable.

Q: Why do identical twins have different fingerprints?

The minutiae of fingerprints form while we're developing inside our mothers and are influenced by the specific conditions around the dividing cells that become our skin. Even identical twins have different fingerprints.

Q: Can fingerprints be permanently removed?

Superficially sandpapering or cutting off fingerprints only temporarily removes them. They will grow back the same way since their arrangement is determined by the shape of the basal layer of the skin.

Q: Why do some people not have fingerprints?

A genetic condition called adermatoglyphia causes the disappearance of fingerprints with no other side effects. However, it is extremely rare, with only four extended families known to have the condition.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Fingerprints are made up of natural substances that keep our skin healthy and waterproof. They can leave latent prints even on seemingly clean surfaces.

• Licking clean a smudgy iPhone 5 screen burns about 2 calories, equivalent to eating a Big Mac.

• Human breast milk is the only type of food that can be consumed every day without needing a variation.