Alison Bashford

Alison Bashford, a history professor at UNSW and author of "Decoding the Hand," delves into the fascinating history of palmistry and its scientific counterparts. She shares a captivating story about discovering a gorilla's handprint that ignited her research. The conversation covers the psychology of handprints, ancient beliefs linking hands to character, and the intriguing connections between palmistry and astrology. Bashford also reveals how 19th-century hand readings intertwined with social identities and examines the rise of celebrity palmists.

Alison Bashford, a historian at the University of Sydney, unravels the intricate history of palm reading in her latest work. She explores why figures like Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin were fascinated by hands, linking them to identity and dominance. The podcast dives into chiromancy's medical roots and its surprising connections to modern genetics. Bashford highlights the enduring appeal of palmistry and how ancient practices intersect with contemporary science, tracing palm lines from fortune-telling to diagnostics.

Alison Bashford, a historian of medicine and science based in Sydney and author of Decoding the Hand, explores centuries of palm-reading and medical hand studies. She traces chiromancy’s global roots, dives into archives of primate and celebrity palm prints, and follows how anatomists, geneticists, and criminologists turned hand lines into scientific and diagnostic tools.

Alison Bashford, a historian of medicine and science, delves into intriguing intersections of palmistry and science. She discusses how figures like Isaac Newton explored chiromancy and how Charles Darwin perceived the hand’s importance. Bashford reveals surprising links between palms and genetics, notably with Francis Galton’s work on fingerprints, and highlights the enduring cultural significance of palm reading across various traditions. Her research uncovers a fascinating narrative intertwining magic, medicine, and the quest to understand identity through our hands.

Historian Alison Bashford dives into the captivating intersection of science, medicine, and magic through the lens of palmistry. She reveals how iconic figures like Isaac Newton and Darwin were intrigued by the hand's significance. Discover tales of pioneering palm readers, including Charlotte Wolff's adventurous primate studies, and Francis Galton's foundational work in dermatoglyphics. Bashford also discusses modern applications in genetics and the ongoing allure of palmistry, highlighting its role in both scientific inquiry and mystical traditions.