The Illusionist Brain: The Neuroscience of Magic

Magic, according to Camí (pharmacology, Pompeu Fabra Univ., Barcelona) and Martínez (neuroscience, Inst. of Neuroscience, Alicante, Spain), is “the art of creating impossible effects that violate our expectations.” A successful magic trick appears to transgress natural laws, but in reality it has only fooled the brain, which receives vast amounts of sensory input and devises shortcuts to interpret it. In this book, Camí and Martínez explore the intersection between magic and neuroscience, first by explaining the function and structure of the brain, before turning their focus to the visual pathway and cognitive processes (attention; perception; memory; emotion). They also explain how particular magic tricks can play on the limitations of the human brain’s processing methods. Each chapter includes QR codes linking to illustrations and videos demonstrating illusions and concepts; the online content creates an entertaining interactive experience that mimics the wonder and surprise of an actual magic show.