Who was the first person to confirm the permanency of ridges in fingerprints?

The first person to confirm the permanency of ridges in fingerprints was Sir William Herschel. He is recognized for his early work with fingerprints, which began in the late 19th century while he was serving in India. Herschel observed that fingerprints remained constant over time and began using them as a means of identification. His documentation and experiments laid the groundwork for the future study and application of fingerprinting as a reliable method of personal identification.

The significance of Herschel's findings was profound, as it shifted the understanding of fingerprints from a mere curiosity to a scientific observation that could be applied practically in identification systems. This foundational work was critical for the eventual development of modern forensic science and fingerprint analysis.