From ancient Egypt to Greek mythology, through Abrahamic religions, in ancient African and Native American spiritual traditions, in medieval Europe, and 16th century France (remember that Nostradamus guy?), humans have reliably attempted to predict the future, read minds, and communicate with the dead.

And at this moment in our history, with a pandemic, protests, an upcoming election, climate change... On top of the innate chaos of being a human being, it would surely be more psychologically manageable if we could somehow see into the future.

This hour, you'll listen in on my first reading ever with a psychic medium - someone who claims to be able to predict the future, and communicate with the dead. We'll hear what this work is like for her.

You'll also meet a researcher who looks back at some of the ways psychics and mediums have been tested and understood - or not - in American history.

GUESTS:

• Karen Hollis is a Rocky Hill-based psychic medium who has worked with over 7,000 clients, as well as the police. She’s appeared on the Discovery Channel and the Travel Channel, and she's worked with the Ghosts of New England Research Society, or G.O.N.E.R.S.
• Alicia Puglionesi is the author of the forthcoming book, Common Phantoms: An American History of Psychic Science, exploring questions of faith and doubt, orthodoxy and marginality that underpin the field of parapsychology

Photo credit: Claire Winter / Flickr Creative Commons