"Fingerprints Not Always Unique, Study Suggests, Aiding Cold Case Investigations"

A breakthrough in fingerprint analysis by artificial intelligence has challenged the long-held belief that each fingerprint is unique, potentially leading to the solving of thousands of cold cases. The AI system identified similarities between apparently different fingerprints from the same person, which had eluded forensic analysis for decades. The findings, initially rejected by the forensics community, could lead to the revival of cold cases and the acquittal of innocent people. This research demonstrates the potential for AI-led scientific discovery and also has implications for computer fingerprint identification systems.