Friends do it, strangers do it and so do chimpanzees—the humble handshake, it turns out, has a surprising history. Palaeoanthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi embarks on a fascinating voyage of discovery, from the handshake's origins (at least seven million years ago) all the way to its sudden disappearance in March 2020. Drawing on new research and first-hand experience, she reveals how this gesture has played a role in everything from meetings with uncontacted tribes to political assassinations, and what it tells us about the enduring power of human contact.