It's nice to have Dr. Ginger Campbell and the Brain Science Podcast back online, even if these are now only occasional podcasts. In this new episode she talks with neuroscientists Dr. Stephen Macknik and Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde about their new book, Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions. This appears to be the the first book to explore the neuroscience of magic - they will also be in Tucson speaking about the book tonight at 5 pm in UA Science Building. (Damn, wish I could be there.)
Magic and the Brain (BSP 72)
Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde
Neuroscientists Dr. Stephen Macknik and Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde have an unusual hobby: Magic! Actually, it is more than a hobby since for the last several years they have been working with leading magicians from around the world to create a new field: the neuroscience of magic. In Episode 72 of the Brain Science Podcast I talked with them about their new book Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions, which is the first book to explore the neuroscience of magic.
With the help of their co-author Sandra Blakeslee, Macknik and Martinez-Conde provide an excellent overview of this new and exciting field. Their book also provides an excellent review of many of the principles that I have introduced in the last 4 years.
Listen to Episode 72 (Right Click to download)
Episode Transcript (Download PDF)
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Dr. Stephen Macknik
Links and References
- Stephen Macknik, PhD: Director, Director, Laboratory of Behavioral Neurophysiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
- Susan Martinez-Conde: Director, Laboratory of Visual Science, Barrow Neurological Institute
- Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about Our Everyday Deceptions by Stephen L. Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Sandra Blakeslee
- http://sleightsofmind.com: for videos and links to their Scientific American articles
Scientists mentioned during the podcast
- David Hubel: Nobel Prize for vision research
- Margaret Livington (Harvard)
- Zachary Mainen (Cold Springs Harbor, NY)
- Daniel Simons (University of Illinois): change blindness
- Derren Brown (London): memory fallibility
- Jose-Manual Alonso (SUNY): neural basis of visual attention
Magicians mentioned during the interview
- James Randi: famous proponent of skeptical thinking
- Juan Tamariz: This Spanish magician is an important magic theorist
- Penn and Teller: Go to http://sleightsofmind.com to see a video of the balls and cup illusion discussed in BSP 72.
Ginger Campbell, MD
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I appreciate your on-going support!
Ginger Campbell, MD
Brain Science Podcast
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