[Mike Fieschko]

NPR's Science Friday had this in their June 12 show, and the segment is available as a free mp3 audio file entitled Study Says Fingerprints Aren't For Friction. The direct link to the mp3 file is here, and the show notes here are:

New research in The Journal of Experimental Biology shows that — contrary to conventional wisdom — fingerprints don't increase the friction between the fingertips and the grasped object. Biomechanics researcher A. Roland Ennos explains what fingerprints might actually be for.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!