 |
|
Age-old magic tricks can provide clues for modern science
July 23, 2008Revealing the science behind age-old magic tricks will help us better understand how humans see, think, and act, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia and Durham University in the U.K.
Their study in the current online issue of the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences concludes that elements of human cognition and perception not yet fully understood by scientists may be clarified by analysing tricks and techniques used by magicians over thousands of years.
The investigators explored several of the key techniques of the magic trade - categorised as "misdirection, illusion and forcing" - which have only recently been formally identified by scientists and taken seriously as a valid research area.
An example of "misdirection" would be the cigarette and lighter trick the researchers used in one of their vision experiments: http://www.dur.ac.uk/gustav.kuhn/Kuhn_et_al_2007/material.htm
For related work on "looking but not seeing" go to: http://www.psych.ubc.ca/~rensink/flicker/
"Although a few attempts have been made in the past to draw links between magic and human cognition, the knowledge obtained by magicians has been largely ignored by modern psychology," says Ronald Rensink, an associate professor who specializes in vision and cognition and teaches in the departments of Psychology and Computer Science at UBC.
Study co-authors are Gustav Kuhn from Durham University's Psychology Department and Alym Amlani, a recent BSc graduate of UBC's Cognitive Systems Program, which integrates computer science, psychology, philosophy and linguistics. Both Kuhn and Amlani are practising magicians who argue that conjurers are "miles ahead" of scientists.
"Imagine someone who makes an object disappear or successfully predicts what you will do next," says Kuhn. "These tricks may seem like they defy the laws of physics and logic, but they are actually created through a combination of skill and a deep knowledge of human psychology."
For example, the vanishing ball illusion indicates that anticipation plays a factor in what we see - our minds tend to fill in the blanks. In this trick, the magician tosses a red ball in the air two times and on the third throw will palm the ball. However, study participants will report seeing the magician toss the ball in the air three times.
The researchers say their work has long-term implications for human-computer interfaces - from online training films and computer graphics to video games and animation. These activities require increasingly sophisticated software capable of grabbing and holding the viewer's attention.
They developed various magic tricks and experiments to test recent findings in vision science, which shows that only a small part of information that enters our eyes actually enters our conscious awareness. One particular finding shows a distinction between where you look and what you see.
This was evident in an experiment that recorded volunteers' eye movements with a tracking device while they watched a video of a "misdirection" trick. The magician goes to light a cigarette, but subtly drops both cigarette and lighter into his lap.
By directing the audience's attention first to his right hand, which is empty, and then to the left hand, also empty, he makes watchers believe both items have simply disappeared.
The researchers asked the volunteers to detect how the magic trick was performed. More than half of the 46 participants did not see the cigarette being dropped although this happened in full view. Further, the eye movement records for this group of volunteers showed that at least two of them were looking directly at the cigarette.
"The critical factor is not where someone directs their eyes, but where they are sending their attention," explains Rensink. "If they didn't attend to the manipulation behind the trick, they simply weren't able to see how the trick was done."
University of British Columbia
An example of "misdirection" would be the cigarette and lighter trick the researchers used in one of their vision experiments: http://www.dur.ac.uk/gustav.kuhn/Kuhn_et_al_2007/material.htm
For related work on "looking but not seeing" go to: http://www.psych.ubc.ca/~rensink/flicker/
"Although a few attempts have been made in the past to draw links between magic and human cognition, the knowledge obtained by magicians has been largely ignored by modern psychology," says Ronald Rensink, an associate professor who specializes in vision and cognition and teaches in the departments of Psychology and Computer Science at UBC.
Study co-authors are Gustav Kuhn from Durham University's Psychology Department and Alym Amlani, a recent BSc graduate of UBC's Cognitive Systems Program, which integrates computer science, psychology, philosophy and linguistics. Both Kuhn and Amlani are practising magicians who argue that conjurers are "miles ahead" of scientists.
"Imagine someone who makes an object disappear or successfully predicts what you will do next," says Kuhn. "These tricks may seem like they defy the laws of physics and logic, but they are actually created through a combination of skill and a deep knowledge of human psychology."
For example, the vanishing ball illusion indicates that anticipation plays a factor in what we see - our minds tend to fill in the blanks. In this trick, the magician tosses a red ball in the air two times and on the third throw will palm the ball. However, study participants will report seeing the magician toss the ball in the air three times.
The researchers say their work has long-term implications for human-computer interfaces - from online training films and computer graphics to video games and animation. These activities require increasingly sophisticated software capable of grabbing and holding the viewer's attention.
They developed various magic tricks and experiments to test recent findings in vision science, which shows that only a small part of information that enters our eyes actually enters our conscious awareness. One particular finding shows a distinction between where you look and what you see.
This was evident in an experiment that recorded volunteers' eye movements with a tracking device while they watched a video of a "misdirection" trick. The magician goes to light a cigarette, but subtly drops both cigarette and lighter into his lap.
By directing the audience's attention first to his right hand, which is empty, and then to the left hand, also empty, he makes watchers believe both items have simply disappeared.
The researchers asked the volunteers to detect how the magic trick was performed. More than half of the 46 participants did not see the cigarette being dropped although this happened in full view. Further, the eye movement records for this group of volunteers showed that at least two of them were looking directly at the cigarette.
"The critical factor is not where someone directs their eyes, but where they are sending their attention," explains Rensink. "If they didn't attend to the manipulation behind the trick, they simply weren't able to see how the trick was done."
University of British Columbia
Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud
This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
Coronary Heart Disease Neanderthal Cell Death Estrogen therapy Longevity Mussels Climate Change Amphibian Mobile Phone Narcolepsy Pesticide Exposure Birth Defects Cancer Risk Wind Power Alcoholics Methane Nicotine Dependence Second-hand Smoke Hurricane Cardiovascular Risk Cataract Pheromones Quantum Acetylcholine Selenium
See More: Science News Tags
Modern Science Current Events and Modern Science News RSSElectron pairs precede high-temperature superconductivity
Like astronomers tweaking images to gain a more detailed glimpse of distant stars, physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have found ways to sharpen images of the energy spectra in high-temperature superconductors - materials that carry electrical current effortlessly when cooled below a certain temperature.
The emerging scientific discipline of aeroecology
In the history of science and technology, there is an infrequent combination of empirical discoveries, theories and technology developments converge that make it possible to recognize a new discipline.
Mustard - hot stuff for natural pest control
Researchers, growers and Industry specialists from 22 countries will share the latest research into the use of Brassica species, such as mustard, radish, or rapeseed, to manage soil-borne pests and weeds - a technique known as biofumigation.
Carnegie Mellon neuroscientist proposes new theory of brain flexibility
Carnegie Mellon University neuroscientist Marcel Just and Stanford postdoctoral fellow Sashank Varma have put forward a new computational theory of brain function that provides answers to one of the central questions of modern science: How does the human brain organize itself to give rise to complex cognitive tasks such as reading, problem solving and spatial reasoning?
Chemical in red wine, fruits and vegetables stops cancer, heart disease, depending on the dose
The next cancer drug might come straight from the grocery store, according to new research published in the November 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal. In the study, French scientists describe how high and low doses of polyphenols have different effects. Most notably, they found that very high doses of antioxidant polyphenols shut down and prevent cancerous tumors by cutting off the formation of new blood vessels needed for tumor growth. Polyphenols are commonly found in red wine, fruits, vegetables, and green tea.
Learning how to learn for exam success
It may be the height of the holiday season, but about a million people are about to get life-altering news. On Thursday, 300,000 school and college students will receive their A level results. A week later, another 700,000 will find out how they did in their GCSEs.
Gene offers new lead in cleft lip and palate research
Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health report in the current issue of the journal Science that a much-studied gene called SUMO1, when under expressed, can cause cleft lip and palate, one of the world's most common birth defects.
The IAU draft definition of 'planet' and 'plutons'
The world's astronomers, under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), have concluded two years of work defining the difference between "planets" and the smaller "solar system bodies" such as comets and asteroids.
Energy-rich Portfolio of New Genome Sequencing Targets for DOE JGI
Bioenergy crop plants switchgrass and cassava, other important agricultural commodities such as cotton, and microbes geared to break down plant material to render biofuels, round out the roster of more than 40 projects to be tackled by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) over the next year.
New Unified Force Theory Predicts Measured Values of Physics
David Thomson and Jim Bourassa of the Quantum AetherDynamics Institute (QADI) released a new theory which mathematically predicts and explains the measured values of physics with striking precision. Their Aether Physics Model includes the "Holy Grail" of physics sought by Albert Einstein; the Unified Force Theory. "Our model shows the forces are unified by a simple set of general laws explainable as the fabric of space-time itself, which is a dynamic, quantum-scale Aether," said Bourassa.
More Modern Science Current Events and Modern Science News Articles
 |
History -- Modern Marvels : Forensic Science: The Crime Fi Also With: Hearst Ent. (Producer) It all started with Sherlock Holmes. The incredible ability of the fictional detective to solve crimes from the merest physical clues inspired Scotland Yard to follow his lead and search for the trail of criminals in the physical evidence left behind at every crime scene. 100 years later, forensic science boasts abilities that would once have been considered magical, even by the exceedingly rational Holmes. CRIME SCIENCE traces the development of forensics from its infancy to today. Agents and investigators demonstrate the powerful tools that are at their disposal, from DNA "fingerprinting" to fiber science, and revisit famous cases, from the ballistic evidence that led to the conviction of James Earl Ray to the tiny clues that put investigators of the Lockerbie disaster on the trail... |
 |
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing by Richard Dawkins (Editor) Boasting almost one hundred pieces, The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is a breathtaking celebration of the finest writing by scientists--the best such collection in print--packed with scintillating essays on everything from "The Discovery of Lucy" to "The Terror and Vastness of the Universe." Edited by best-selling author and renowned scientist Richard Dawkins, this sterling collection brings together exhilarating pieces by a who's who of scientists and science writers, including Stephen Pinker, Stephen Jay Gould, Martin Gardner, Albert Einstein, Julian Huxley, and many dozens more. Readers will find excerpts from bestsellers such as Douglas R. Hofstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach, Francis Crick's Life Itself, Loren Eiseley's The Immense Journey, Daniel Dennett's Darwin's... |
 |
The Social Origins of Modern Science by Springer The most outstanding feature of this book is that here, for the first time, is made available in a single volume all the important historical essays Edgar Zilsel (1891--1944) published during WWII on the emergence of modern science. This edition also contains one previously unpublished essay and an extended version of an essay published earlier. In these essays, Zilsel developed the now famous thesis, named after him, that science came into being when, in the late Middle Ages, the social barriers between the intellectuals and the artisans were eroded, due to the fact that the rapidly expanding commercial classes of that period had a keen interest in improvements in technology. This class was city-based and stimulated a social environment in which men of learning came to regard... |
 |
Modern Science by Modern Science This Las Vegas based duo comes on strong with killer hooks, irresistible rhythms and singalong melodies the likes of which are rarely seen rising from the dust bowl of the Vegas Valley. Modern Science is poised, polished and ready to bring their booty-shaking grooves to the world. This is Modern Science's debut album released March of 2009. Produced by Kevin Churko & Kane Churko |
 |
Modern Science by MIMORTL Records |
|
Modern Science & Technology of Telecommunications by Sci & Tech Info Inst of Mpt | |
 |
Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters (History Channel) Starring: Modern Marvels Directed By: History Channel Error is inevitable in all human endeavors, but when the undertakings are engineering feats of enormous proportions, the smallest mistakes may have devastating consequences. From the Exxon Valdez disaster to a nuclear meltdown at a secret government facility, to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, MODERN MARVELS chronicles over 40 of history s most devastating catastrophes and reveals the lessons learned from each one. In 18 thrilling episodes, HISTORY CHANNEL dramatizes the world s most notorious engineering failures, using state-of-the-art special effects to investigate not only what went wrong, but what can be learned from these spectacular disasters. The catastrophes recounted led to the creation of Superfund sites for the cleanup of toxic waste; improved safety... |
 |
A Delicate Moment ... in the Life of Niblets Brand whole kernal corn. Planned Parenthood ... when you want to keep an exclusive strain of seed pure, only the right kind of pollen must go on the corn silk. Here you see one of our geneticists carefully dusting pollen from a selected corn tassel onto the silks of "mother ears" to produce the seed (D-138) for Niblets brand whole kernal corn. This is just one of the ways we wed Modern Science to Mother Nature to produce constant quality every time for Niblets Brand - the golden corn that's packed at the fleeting moment of perfect flavor. Packed only by Minnesota Valley Canning Company, headquarters, Le Sueur, Minnesota. ..... 1945 Green Giant Ad, A3660A. This Item is an original Magazine ad, taken from a vintage magazine of the year indicated. The ad is suitable for framing and displaying in your home or office. The scan of this item was taken through plastic film, however it is an accurate representation of the item. The nominal size is 10.5 inches by 14 inches. |
|
Creation or Chaos: Modern Science and the Existence of God By R C Sproul (2 VHS Tape Set) In Creation or Chaos, Dr. Sproul answers these questions by showing that the idea of "chance" causing anything is absurd and scientifically impossible. He shows that chance has become the "soft pillow" of cosmology - a myth that allows scientists to irrationally dismiss the existence of a Creator as they attempt to explain the origin of the universe. Six 23-minute messages # Saving the Phenomena # Faith and Reason # Chance: The Modern Myth # What is Chance? # Truth and It's Contrary # The Necessity of God's Existence | |
 |
InAir E-Z Build Model Kit - Space Station Mir by InAir Highly realistic and authentically detailed model. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |