Which component is crucial to the validity of fingerprint comparison?

Minutiae are the unique features found in fingerprint patterns, such as ridge endings, bifurcations, and dots. These intricate details are crucial for the validity of fingerprint comparison because they allow forensic analysts to differentiate between the fingerprints of different individuals. Each person's fingerprint has a distinct combination of minutiae that makes it unique, similar to a signature. Accurate comparison relies on identifying and matching these specific features between two prints. Thus, the presence and analysis of minutiae are fundamental when establishing identity through fingerprint evidence. The other options—color, timestamp, and size—do not provide the necessary specificity and uniqueness required for valid comparison and identification.