DNA fingerprinting was invented in 1985 by Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester. It is a technique used to identify individuals by their unique DNA patterns rather than just species or traits. DNA fingerprinting can be used to determine paternity or maternity and identify criminals or victims. The process involves isolating DNA from samples like blood or hair, cutting the DNA into fragments using enzymes, and analyzing the fragment sizes to create a unique DNA profile for identification purposes.