Mapped across our fingertips is a diverse, intricate landscape. The swirling maze of tiny ridges, peaks, and valleys are used to help us flip pages of a book, feel and distinguish textures, and unlock our phones. But it turns out that fingerprints are not only unique signatures of our identity; they are signatures of our early stages of development. 

A recent study published in the journal Cell reveals that genes involved in limb development are influential in creating the shape of our fingerprints. Previously, researchers thought the genes active in skin formation were the most obvious connection to fingerprint patterns.