|
|
|
TopClicks
->
Teens
->
Cool Stuff
->
Tricks and Optical Illusions
Can the Hall's of Magic Find Your Card - Just pick a card, any card. Who will figure it out first? "Mojo: Using gut instinct and street smarts? The Sheik: Using psychic powers? Dr. Megabyte: Using cybernetic calculations?" Now remember whose hand the card is in and click on the appropriate illusionist. Unfortunately, they're none too smart, and you'll have to tell them again--and again. But by the third time they've got it right, and sure enough, the card they choose is the same one you picked. Try it again--it works!
David Copperfield - Welcome to the Magic - A lot of people think David Copperfield is the greatest magician and illusionist alive today. After all, he "vanished" the Statue of Liberty in front of a live audience (even its radar blip went away), and he walked through the Great Wall of China. We attended one of his stage shows, and it sure looked to us like he was flying around the stage. This page will tell you about David's childhood, his current schedule, and his illusions, but it does not give away any of his secrets.
Hocus Pocus Palace - Dare to challenge The Great Mysto in a game of mind reading and clairvoyance. Through magical and as yet unexplainable Internet protocols, The Great Mysto will astound you with his long-distance feats. Doubters may scoff and say these are simple "magic square" tricks, but we're not so sure (how did he know we were thinking of Marge Simpson?). O Great Mysto, you have a truly fun site!
IllusionWorks - This is the coolest optical illusion site on the Net. Discover not only sight illusions but also sound illusions! Try to figure out the distorted puzzles or the camouflaged hidden pictures. Some of these require Shockwave or Java-enhanced browsers. A caution to parents: Not all links leading off this site have been checked.
Magic Secrets Basement - Magic for Beginners - Want to try your hand at magic? This is the place to start. The basic rules are important, but the card and coin tricks described at this site are a lot more fun! Remember that practice is the key to performing a trick that's believable.
Magic Show - Abracadabra! The magic trick amazes the people in the audience, who whisper to each other, "That's impossible! How do they do it?" Everyone loves a magic show. The only thing better than watching a magic show is being the magician. This Web magazine has articles about professional magicians who astound people, show after show. Each issue also contains the secrets of how to perform these magical feats yourself. There are even movie clips so you can watch the professionals (look in the Arcade). Whether you want to learn magic or you just enjoy it, this site has something for you. Don't forget the hat (and the rabbit).
Mark Newbold's Animated Necker Cube - Do not try this illusion at home. Remember, we warned you. OK, well maybe you can try it at home, but make sure you have your seat belts fastened first and your tray and seat backs are fully upright. Prepare for your brain cells to get messed up as your perception of this seemingly innocent cube switches around. According to this site, "The Necker Cube is named after the Swiss crystallographer Louis Albert Necker, who in the mid-1800s saw cubic shapes spontaneously reverse in perspective." But don't try the Counter-Rotating Spirals Illusion--unless you want to have fun!
Online Exhibits @ the Exploratorium - Don't look now. At this site there are illusions that will make you think your computer is spinning, your palm is squirming, and Mona Lisa is frowning. If that's not enough to convince you to go to this site, there's an audio short story called "Ladle Rat Rotten Hut" that will completely confuse you, then amuse you. Remember, the moral of this very familiar story is "Yonder nor sorghum stenches shut ladle gulls stopper torque wet strainers."
SandlotScience.com - They're all here: those illusional figures that leave you wondering. You'll see impossible illusions, like the animated triangle and the endless staircase. You'll also find camouflage illusions and hidden pictures, and finally, our favorite: moir patterns. They're caused when two transparent patterns overlap. You will enjoy visiting this site, but don't be in a hurry--these illusions are irresistible!
Stereograms - Can you see hidden 3-D images inside a stereogram? People who can see them describe tigers jumping through hoops, wild outer space landscapes, and more. Those who can't see them think everyone else is just making it up. This site includes a tutorial on how to make your own images like this.
Stereoscopic Photographs - Maybe your grandmother or great-grandpa had one of these neat gadgets that shows pictures in three dimensions. It is called a stereoscope. The person who developed this Web site must have had one, too, because a lot of the old slides are reproduced here. There is also a lot of information about the stereoscope and a picture of it. You can look at the slides. Follow the instructions for relaxing your eyes, and you'll see it in 3-D right on your computer screen.
The World of Escher - Waterfalls that flow up? Stairs that seem to keep going down, yet, suddenly, they're back on top of a building? These inexplicable drawings by M. C. Escher must be seen to be believed. There's a contest, too. Can you make a drawing like this?
You Can Illusions - What you think you see is not always what's really there. Look at some famous optical illusions with Beakman and Jax, who explain things like whether that's a young lady wearing a hat or an old woman wearing a scarf.
|
|
