WSC '25 (the Futurity pt2)

What is palmistry?

The act of reading palms to determine the future. Practiced globally, it's pseudoscientific but related to dermatoglyphics.

What is physiognomy?

Judging personality based on appearance, especially facial features. Historically linked to scientific racism.

What is carromancy (ceromancy)?

Divination via wax shapes, historically practiced by the Celts and Romans.

What is tasseography?

Divination by interpreting tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine residue. Originated in China.

What is cartomancy?

Fortune-telling with cards, often tarot. Tarot decks typically have 78 cards.

What is fortune-telling?

The practice of predicting the future, usually informal compared to religious divination.

What is an oracle?

A person who gives prophetic answers, historically of higher status than typical fortune-tellers.

What is a soothsayer?

A synonym for oracle or fortune-teller, literally meaning 'truth-sayer'.

What is a shaman?

A person who interacts with spirits through altered consciousness, often found in indigenous practices.

What is a witch?

Someone believed to have supernatural powers, often linked to curses and dark magic.

What is a clairvoyant?

Someone claiming to perceive things beyond normal senses, often linked to ESP.

What is Ifá?

A West African divination system using palm nuts and binary signs, guided by the spirit Orunmila.

What is Jyotish?

Hindu astrology used for rituals and determining auspicious dates.

What is the I Ching?

A Chinese divination text using hexagrams derived from flower stalks.

What is the Bazi?

A Chinese system using birth year, month, day, and hour to determine fate.

What is Jiaobei?

Crescent-shaped moon blocks used in Chinese divination to ask yes/no questions.

What are the four possible Jiaobei results?

Shengjiao (approval), Nujiao/Kujiao/Meijiao (displeasure), Xiaojiao (laughter), Lijiao (confusion).

What is O-mikuji?

Japanese paper fortunes from temples. Good fortunes are tied to pine trees to prolong luck.

What is a Ouija board?

A board used to spell messages, often believed to contact spirits.

What is a crystal ball?

A sphere used in scrying, associated with clairvoyance and fortune-telling.

What is a fortune cookie?

A cookie with a paper fortune inside, created by Japanese immigrants in the US.

What is a horoscope?

An astrological forecast based on zodiac signs, usually found in newspapers.

Who is Michio Kaku?

A physicist and futurist known for string theory and predictions on AI, drones, and space.

What major issue does Kaku warn about?

Military drones with AI, which may autonomously kill targets.

What are some predictions by Kaku?

Space colonization, AI evolution, contact with aliens, and rise of cryptocurrencies.