If you have looked at almost any American crime show over the past few years I'm sure that you have seen someone dusting for fingerprints. It looks pretty neat on television, but the science behind fingerprint identification is really simple. All human skin secretes oils and if these oils come into contact with fingerprint powder, or dirt and dust, it sticks to these the oils and... presto! The print is revealed and this weeks' killer is identified.

The sad truth is that whether you're looking for a villain or holding a finely sculpted reindeer, those oily prints are going to be there. We just can't see them. Over time this accumulated oil residue will attract and hold dust and dirt

LEFT, 1:6 scale Fox Terrior by Lucy Maloney
ABOVE, IGMA Fellow Kerri Pajutee created this tiny tabby cat

much easier than you'd think. So step one when handling any animal or bear is to make sure that you wash your hands with mild soap and water. This will reduce any surface dirt on your skin, and really cut down on the amount of oils transferred from you to your collectible. This word of advice includes any type of material: furring, clay, cloth and painted surfaces should be handled only after washing your hands. It's a small but important step.

The world will end in fire or ice, or so they say. Scientists have been able to postulate that the world will end in a blaze of fire. They also speculate that it could end as a spectacular void of frozen emptiness. Nice of them to pin it down so precisely, don't you think?

Either way, when it comes to protecting your investment, you should consider what the scientific community calls the "Goldilocks" effect: not too hot, not too cold, just right for life. Step two in the care of animals of all kinds is to keep them in a temperate zone. Don't sit them on a windowsill. No matter what the season, it's a bad choice.