Carolyn Nagy, age 14, of Burlington, Vt., for her question:

IS PALM READING A SCIENCE?

Palm reading or palmistry, is the practice of foretelling the future by examining the lines and marks of the human hand. It was once called a science but today most people regard palmistry as a pseudoscience, or false science.

Even though there is no scientific proof that it is possible to read a person's future by examining his palm, people in many parts of the world practice palmistry.

In palmistry, the fleshy parts of the palm at the base of the thumb and fingers and on the side of the hand are called mounds. The wrinkles on the palm are called lines. The mounds and lines have names and each line is said to have a meaning. A long "life line," for example, supposedly foretells a long life. A long, clear line of the heart indicates an affectionate disposition.

Most palmists can use various physical clues in making predictions. Nervousness or small muscular reactions to statements made by the palmist may reveal a person's feelings. The condition of the hands and nails also indicates some characteristics. Such signs may help the palmist make surprisingly accurate predictions.