Events at the Anatomical Museum

On the evening of the 31st of January 2019 over 200 people filled the anatomy lecture theatre for the latest in a series of Anatomical Museum talks.

‘Do your looks betray you?’ was presented by a multidisciplinary team and hosted by Becky Howell from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and Ruby Hann, an undergraduate and last summer’s Anatomical Museum intern.

The first speaker, Chris Rynn from the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee took people through facial reconstructions and what can be deduced from skull shape.  He concluded that looks, whilst not being directly related to personality, did affect the way people treated each other, and hence how they developed and reacted to the world around them.

The second speaker, Tim Squirrell, a post graduate student from Science and Technology Studies, opened the eyes of the audience to the relatively unknown world of the incel community and their beliefs about skull shape and how it can dictate your outcome in life.

The third speaker, Ian Jackson from the MRC’s Human Genetics Unit discussed hair colour, its genetic basis and how this may, or may not, relate to personality.

The final speaker was Patricia Allmer from Edinburgh College of Art who told the audience about the history of crystal skulls in art and the fascination that the public have had with them.