More trouble than the trick was worth? To you, probably. Then we built a secret compartment out of foam-core (one of the few materials cockroaches can’t cling to) and worked out a devious routine for sneaking the compartment into the hat. We hired an entomologist who provided slow-moving, camera-friendly cockroaches (the kind from under your stove don’t hang around for close-ups) and taught us to pick the bugs up without screaming like preadolescent girls. My partner, Penn, and I once produced 500 live cockroaches from a top hat on the desk of talk-show host David Letterman. You will be fooled by a trick if it involves more time, money and practice than you (or any other sane onlooker) would be willing to invest. Make the secret a lot more trouble than the trick seems worth. As Homo sapiens, you grasp the pattern, and take away the impression that I produced all five coins from a hand whose palm was empty.Ģ. Then I allow you to see the palm of my hand empty before a fifth coin appears.
I magically produce four silver dollars, one at a time, with the back of my hand toward you. I think you’ll see what I mean if I teach you a few principles magicians employ when they want to alter your perceptions.ġ. Magic’s about understanding-and then manipulating-how viewers digest the sensory information. If I could have avoided those welts by visiting an MRI lab, I surely would have.īut magic’s not easy to pick apart with machines, because it’s not really about the mechanics of your senses. My hypothesis (that nobody would see me sneak a fishbowl under a shawl) proved false and the Scouts pelted me with hard candy. I remember an experiment I did at the age of 11. Magicians have done controlled testing in human perception for thousands of years. Neuroscientists are novices at deception. But after I share what I know, my neuroscientist friends thank me by showing me eye-tracking and MRI equipment, and promising that someday such machinery will help make me a better magician.
He replied that those who fund science research find magicians “sexier than lab rats.” I asked a scientist friend (whose identity I must protect) why the sudden interest. Even I-not exactly renowned as a public speaker-have been invited to address conferences on neuroscience and perception. Mesh baseball caps are always a good bet, though they won’t provide much protection from the sun’s rays.In the last half decade, magic-normally deemed entertainment fit only for children and tourists in Las Vegas-has become shockingly respectable in the scientific world. In the summer, polyester caps are affordable and can stay dry even in heavy sweat. Cotton has the advantage of being naturally hypoallergenic, while wool is more breathable and better at wicking moisture away from your brow. On cold days, go for a hat knitted with wool or cotton. Cheaper beach hats will more likely be made of braided and treated paper that won’t hold up as well to the elements. Beach hats that have a woven straw look are very much in demand, but you may want to make sure they’re made of actual straw (or raffia, which is a more common fiber that’s just as durable). Practically speaking, the hat needs to suit your environment. Need something warm that will travel well? Try a stocking cap.įashion-wise, you should strive to fit the hat to your outfit. Are you wearing it for shade? Buy a beach hat with a wide brim. When it comes to utility, the questions on your hat-buying checklist will mostly be easy. We could spend days talking about the storied military history of the beret or the evolution of the cowboy’s signature 10-gallon hat, but let’s assume you’re buying something on the more functional end of the spectrum. On the other side of the spectrum are the elaborate pieces of architecture that you might see decorating moneyed ladies at the Kentucky Derby. You might have a favorite hat that you never wash and depend on for nothing more than sunburn protection. The word “hat,” on the other hand, contains multitudes. Is there any item of clothing as hard to pin down as a hat? Socks may come in wacky colors or designs, but they really only have one job, and you can only wear them one way.
0 kommentar(er)
