Who is credited with the authorship of the seminal work on fingerprints?

The individual credited with the authorship of the seminal work on fingerprints is Sir Francis Galton. He was a pioneer in the study of fingerprints and made significant contributions to the understanding of their uniqueness and permanence. In his book "Fingerprints," published in 1892, Galton presented the first systematic study of fingerprint patterns and established the groundwork for fingerprint classification. This work not only demonstrated the reliability of fingerprints as a means of identification but also provided the scientific framework for their use in forensic investigations.

The importance of Galton's contributions cannot be overstated, as they laid the foundation for the development of forensic science related to fingerprinting, influencing law enforcement and criminal investigations worldwide. His methodologies and findings remain integral to modern forensic practices. Other figures mentioned, while significant in their own rights, focused on different aspects of forensic science or crime investigation and did not contribute specifically to the study of fingerprints in the same foundational way as Galton did.