• Question: Why do identical twins have different fingerprints?

    Asked by 782yttc52 to Anna, Hayley, Iain, Rebecca on 22 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Hayley Clissold

      Hayley Clissold answered on 22 Jun 2015:


      Great question! Although identical twins share the same DNA, our fingerprints are actually defined semi-randomly as we grow and develop in our mother’s womb. Our fingerprint pattern is altered by things like hormone changes, which would differ for each twin, and therefore give identical twins different fingerprints.

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