When We Touch

''A mind-expanding tour of what touch means.'' DAVID EAGLEMAN, neuroscientist and author of Incognito and Livewired

Why is a hugged person a healthier person?
Why do high-fiving teams win more matches?
How does a shared handshake make you more likely to tell the truth?

We rely on touch every day of our lives. It makes us who we are. It helps us connect with those around us. And yet touch between individuals can be fraught with confusion and misunderstanding.

In When We Touch, social neuroscientist Professor Michael Banissy blends expert scientific insights with anecdotes from 90s rom coms to office politics to explore the new science of human touch.

His groundbreaking new book explains how touch impacts every part of our lives, from why touch is essential for healthy development, to how kissing might help us choose a genetically beneficial mate to how holding hands with a loved one can help us feel l