What are brief explanations of the two basic principles supporting the science of fingerprints?

The two basic principles supporting the science of fingerprints are persistence and uniqueness. Persistence means that fingerprints remain largely unchanged throughout a person's lifetime, allowing them to be reliable identifiers. Uniqueness asserts that no two individuals have identical fingerprints, as the patterns of ridges and minutiae vary greatly among individuals. These principles make fingerprints a valuable tool in forensic science for identification purposes.