A closer look
Franz Joseph Gall invented the mystical pseudo-science of phrenology, convincing nineteenth-century intellectuals that a person's entire personality and future could be determined by measuring the random bumps on their skull. He mapped out specific regions of the head that allegedly corresponded to traits like secretiveness, combativeness, and even a natural propensity for murder. This entirely fabricated system became wildly popular in Victorian high society, where people would literally hire professional head-feelers to screen potential employees or romantic partners. It is a stunning reminder of human gullibility that for several decades, you could be denied a bank loan simply because a man in a nice suit decided the back of your head felt far too suspicious
