Startseite
Podcasts
It's Been a Minute Podcast
Fake skull science is back - and it's still racist

Fake skull science is back - and it's still racist

It's Been a Minute vor 1 Jahr

0:00

18:10

Can the shape of your skull or the look of your face say something
deeper about you? Like – if you're a good parent? Or if you're
smart? Or if you're more likely to be a criminal? Well – the answer
is no, absolutely not. But in the past, some scientists used the
pseudosciences of phrenology, which studied the skull, and
physiognomy, which studied the face, to try to prove that how you
look says something about who you are on the inside. Again, it's
junk science. But something peculiar is happening: it seems like
there's been more interest lately in some of the ideas behind
phrenology and physiognomy. From "witch skulls and angel skulls,"
to the skull geometry of transvestigations, to the question of
whether AI can detect gay faces – it seems like more and more,
people want to categorize each other with just a look at their
heads.

Brittany is joined by Yale professor of philosophy Lily Hu and
Rolling Stone culture writer Miles Klee to understand the appeal
and the consequences of fake skull and face science coming back
around in the culture.

Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus
content. Join NPR+ today.

Learn more about sponsor message choices:
podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy