Magic is something that has fascinated humankind since time immemorial. From entertaining kings back in the day to present day illusionists, magic is something that enchants in its typically mystifying ways. But do you know how they do it?
Well, here are 10 of the most amazing magic tricks revealed:
1. Levitation
You might remember Criss Angel creating quite a sensation with his levitation tricks. He was a master magician who levitated just a few feet away from the audience, leaving the onlookers clueless as to how he did it.
Explanation: Well, like every other magic trick, Angel used deception! Angel removed one foot from the shell of his shoe and stepped upward with the now-concealed leg. Meanwhile, his pants-leg and shoe remain behind. slowly rising as he hoists himself up, giving the impression that both his feet are in the air.
2. Walking on water
This again was made popular by Criss Angel, who even made it look convincing by dropping his show to the bottom to show that there’s nothing but water below him.
Explanation: Angel was in fact walking atop plexiglass pillars! Plexiglass has a refractive index that’s very similar to water’s and is nearly invisible in water.
3. Card through the window
How many of you remember David Blaine pushing a card through a window? I always wondered how he did it, till I read an article that explained his modus operandi.
Explanation: Such a trick requires the participation of another person with an identical deck of cards (on the other end of the window). As part of the act, the volunteer shows the card to everyone but the magician. In the act, the partner on the other side of the glass gets to see it to, who slaps the card against the glass, making it seem like impromptu street magic.
Source: HalifaxVideos
4. The Guillotine
Ever seen a person being hacked by a guillotine, yet escaping unscathed? It’s just a smart trick employed by magicians to entertain the audience.
Explanation: While the upper part employs a real, deadly blade (like the one used in a real guillotine), the lower part has secret compartments. There are tiny “stop blocks” that prevent the blade from reaching the magician’s neck, while a trap door allows the magician’s head/shoulders to drop out of sight as the blade falls.
5. Horizontal levitation
You must have seen women being suspended in mid-air without support? Ever wondered the science that goes behind it?
Explanation: There is always some kind of support or reinforcement. The video below would explain better.
6. Woman cut in half with a saw
The most common trick there is in the book. A woman is placed inside a box, with only her legs and head popping out of either ends. A chainsaw cuts through the box, cutting the woman in half, with her legs and head still moving! Ever wondered how they do it?
Explanation: It’s all about the right stage setup and a tall volunteer! The video below will explain better.
7. Coffee turned into money
This was one of David Blaine’s most famous magic tricks in which he turned a homeless man’s cup of coffee into a cup full of coins.
Explanation: Concealed inside the coffee cup is another small cup, with a sponge at the bottom of it. Watch this video for a better explanation:
8. Zig-zag girl
In this trick, a woman steps into a cabinet and then the mid-section of the cabinet is pushed out of alignment.
Explanation: Unlike many illusions, this magic trick doesn’t require secret compartments or trap doors. In this, the woman simply steps out of the vertical box, turns sideways, flattens her body against the left-hand wall of the box and then extends one hand behind her to wave through the hole in the displaced section of the box.
9. Vanishing coin trick
This is one of the most common tricks you see in shows and even on the streets. The magician takes a coin in his fist and closes it. He then opens the palm and the coin is gone.
Explanation: The magician applies chapstick glue to the back of his hand. He moves the coin to the back of his hand where it sticks!
10. Walking through a glass without breaking it
We end this list with another one of Criss Angel’s mystifying feats of walking through a glass without breaking it.
Explanation: Angel’s assistants are involved in the trick! His “spectators” are just actors who have been paid by him. In reality, the window is custom built into the frame. The window is tall and has a small opening cut out at the bottom, through which he emerges!