My list for best "science" based tricks-
Lubor Fiedler's trick with a wine glass using chemical for spook effect
Don Hauss clever new Flow trick
Can anyone else provide their best "science" based magic effects using chemicals,optical ilusions, etc. Thanks.

Psychic Readings -- based upon evolution.

If the audience you're performing for are not familiar with the principles then both the Bologna Bottle demonstration and the use of Sodium Polyacrylamide polymer can be dressed up nicely to use for magical effect .

"Imp Bottle" is among the early science based trick.

Sands of the Desert...

Water to Wine.

One that I've enjoyed was where the magician blows up a balloon into an empty bottle (that's a trick right there). Then you can let people look into the inflated balloon, pour water into it.. Yet under your control or if you hand the bottle to the spec, the balloon deflates (spraying the water out, if present)

I didn't fully develop it, but I played around with a way to keep the balloon inflated after it was handed to the spec.

This comes off mainly as a joke/stunt, but it could also be played as a look-don't see with children.

Prince Rupert's Drop AKA Rupert's Pearls

Color changing rose! It is one cool trick when it works correctly. Though relying on chemical reactions is risky magic sometimes.

The one I have had the greatest success with is knowledge that everyone can detect chnages in the magnetic field around them if you condition their perceptions. Have a person sit in a chair and stare straight ahead. Take a sharp metal onject like a bar-b-q skewer and thin knife and slowly bring it to about 2" from his/her eyes. You will get his attention -- everyone has a fear of being blinded. Now have him close his eyes with instructions to say "stop" whenever he sense the point exactly 2" from his head. Try it from different angles of approach. If htere is no response, withdraw and try again. You should get at least 90% accuracy. Of course, congratulate the subject on his amazing power.

There bis a lot of small and large demos to perform that applies bernoulli's principle...

1. If I hold the corners of a sheet of paper that is placed in front of my mouth, and I blow a fast steady stream of air over the top of the paper...what will happen. I have 3 volunteers on stage do it with me (as the question is posed to the audience. The mind of most audiences are generally filled with a misconception when it comes to this simple task. The paper lifts as opposed to staying down. This is a simple demonstration that serves as a great lead to many more demos surrrounding bernoulli's principle.
2. Wind bag demo
3. "Float" a beach ball in the air using a leaf blower
4. Toilet paper Launcher

Posted: Jun 25, 2009 12:40am
I present a diaper to the audience. I cut it in half and shake it over a pan. The white powdery superabsorbent polymer falls out. It absorbs almost 800 times its weight in water. There are several presentation methods that I use. I really buy "slush powder" in bulk since I do so many shows. I usually pretend to cut it and place the slush powder in the diaper. Diapers are expensive. Trust me... I know

My votes go to: sands of the desert and fizz

My vote is sands of the desert

Shrinking and expanding head illusion. PK ring effects.

Posted: Aug 30, 2009 11:50pm
Drowning a fly and bringing it back to life is still amazing to me.

Bernoulli's principle... I used that for a science fair project in 4th grade. My display had an example of the one you mentioned, MagicJim. It also had two apples dangling near each other. If you blow between the apples, they are drawn in towards each other. Another neat effect using bernoulli's principle.

Rattle back!

Slush Powder and vanishing liquids

I second M. Lorenceau's contribution to this thread.
But Slush Powder can be used to vanish more than liquid

For a parlour show, I once vanished a goblet of coins!
The goblet (used for a coins-to-glass) had a thumb-tip full of slush powder added, and then under the cover of a handerchief, a small amount of water...! Using the old "vanish a goblet under a handkerchief", the combined goblet/coins all vanished

1. Sands of The Desert

2. Bolgna Bottle

3. Flow

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