8th October 2002: "Left Hand, Right Hand"

Chris McManus could hardly be more appropriately named (Latin manus: hand) to talk about handedness. As Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at University College London and author of the best selling book "Right Hand, Left Hand", he is one of the world's leading authorities on the extraordinary and fascinating intricacies of our fundamental asymmetry.

Wherever you look in nature there is asymmetry with an inclination to handedness. Like the law and life, it is almost impossible to be even-handed. This asymmetry reaches from the fundamental depths of atomic structure (sub-atomic particles called neutrinos are left-handed) and the stuff we are all made of (the DNA double helix has a right-handed twist, although one of its co-discoverers Jim Watson is left-handed). It goes through anatomy (our hearts generally are on our left side) up to Zulus, who reputedly cured any left-handed child's tendency by so scalding the hand so that the child was bound to use the right hand.

Whatever your inherited or chosen handedness, there is a surprise and a good story.

No ticket, no booking, no experience required.