How do magicians fool their audiences? In order to find out what’s going on in the brains of people who are watching magic tricks, researchers are using fMRI scanning technology on volunteers. Hey, it’s just one more more way to have fun in the lab!

In New Scientist, Ewen Callaway quotes neuroscientist Ben Parris as saying that brain scans serve as a “lie detector for magic tricks,” because they show us how our brains deal with things that just don’t add up.

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Here’s something else that doesn’t add up: Despite having no advertising on other media, we have 60% more readers and listeners than we did a year ago?through word-of-mouth alone. Now if only more of them would support us, there’s a chance we might still be here tomorrow (no matter what happens!)
