Spoon bending
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Spoon bending is the apparent deformation of objects, especially metal cutlery, either without physical force, or with less force than normally necessary. It is a common form of stage magic, and a variety of methods are used to produce the illusion. Spoon bending also refers to the apparent bending of metal objects by paranormal psychic means.
Spoon bending attracted considerable media attention in the 1970s when some people claimed to have the ability to cause such events by paranormal psychic means. The most notable was Uri Geller, who performed by bending metal spoons as well as metal keys and several other objects and materials. Geller's performances were attributed to stage magic by critics such as James Randi [1] and Martin Gardner [2].
Stage magic
Causing spoons, keys, and other items to appear to bend without any physical force is a common stage magic trick that has many variants. An article in the New York Times profiled the neuroscience connections of stage magic and perception. In the article, science reporter Benedict Carey explained what experts who authored a paper in Nature Reviews Neuroscience on the neuroscience of magic tricks had to say about spoon bending:
Any 7-year-old can fool her younger brother by holding the neck of a spoon and rapidly tilting it back and forth, like a mini teeter-totter gone haywire. The spoon appears curved, because of cells in the visual cortex called end-stopped neurons, which perceive both motion and the boundaries of objects, the authors write. The end-stopped neurons respond differently from other motion-sensing cells, and this slight differential warps the estimation of where the edges of the spoon are.[3]
When the result is a single bend or break, it's usually at the point where the object would be easiest to bend by hand. In many cases, the trick uses misdirection, a basic tool of the stage magician. The performer draws the audience's attention away from the spoon during the brief moment while the spoon is being physically bent. The typical bend, where the bowl meets the handle, requires relatively little force. The magician then gradually reveals the bend.[4]
Other methods use a metal spoon that has been prepared so that a simple flick will cause it to bend or break. This can be done, for instance, by repeatedly bending the spoon at the desired spot, until the metal cracks and weakens. If the spoon breaks, the magician holds together the two halves of the spoon as if it were unbroken, then slowly relaxes the grip, making the spoon appear to bend before splitting in two.[5]
If a magician has control over the viewing angle, the trick can be done by using a spoon that is already bent at the start of the trick. The spoon is initially held with the bend along the viewing angle, making it invisible. The magician then turns the spoon slowly to reveal the bend. This is known as "ratcheting" in the industry.
Spoon bending and the paranormal
Due partly to the publicity surrounding Uri Geller in the 1970s, spoon-bending has become a common visual symbol for paranormal ability.
While many individuals have claimed the paranormal or psychokinetic ability to bend spoons or manipulate other objects, spoon bending by mental powers alone has not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the scientific community. Magician and skeptic James Randi has offered a prize of one million dollars to people who are able to demonstrate paranormal abilities such as spoon bending.[6] There are many other similar kinds of prizes which can also be claimed for demonstrating any sort of paranormal abilities including the Erasmus Foundation Fund which offers €10,000 for any repeatable and examinable phenomena associated with the paranormal or the occult.
Spoon bending in film and literature
In the 1999 film The Matrix, protagonist Neo watches a boy bend a spoon without any force. The boy cautions Neo that bending the spoon is impossible; he must bend his perception instead, and realize that the spoon – like the rest of his world – does not really exist.
In the 1993 Seinfeld episode, "The Mango", George refers to bending a spoon mentally when comparing it to impotence.
In his autobiographical book Travels, Michael Crichton describes attending a spoon-bending party in the course of his exploration of New Age spirituality.
See also
References
- ^ Randi, James (1982). The Truth About Uri Geller. Prometheus Books.
- ^ Gardner, Martin (1981). Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus. Prometheus Books. ISBN 0-87975-573-3.
- ^ Benedict Carey (August 11, 2008). "While a Magician Works, the Mind Does the Tricks". New York Times.
- ^ Emery, C. Eugene, Jr. (1987). "Catching Geller in the Act" (Reprint, hosted by permission). Providence Sunday Journal. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ James Randi (October 19). [[NOVA (TV series)|NOVA]]: Secrets of the Psychics (flv (Clip from episode archived at YouTube)) (Documentary). Event occurs at 5:15. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
Of course, it does take a little preparation. In fact, it takes a lot of preparation... Isn't this a more reasonable explanation?
{{cite AV media}}: Check date values in:|date=and|year=/|date=mismatch (help); URL–wikilink conflict (help) - ^ http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/01/72482 Wired Skeptic Revamps $1M Psychic Prize Retrieved June 18, 2008
External links
- Excerpt from Travels: Michael Crichton's account of attending a PK party.
- Follow-up comment from Michael Crichton: Crichton comments on the controversy over spoon bending
- Mass Spoon Bending in Australia: Video from Sydney Skeptics in the Pub where everyone is bending spoons.