The Psychology and Neuroscience of Magic

Magicians can perform seemingly impossible feats. Objects appear and disappear, change and transform. But how do these things happen? Zi teaches the science of how our senses really work, and how the work of magicians exposes the flaws in our perception that are normally invisible to us in everyday life.

Stream on YouTube.

Our speaker: Zi Teng Wang is a dreamer, thinker, and nerd who thinks too deeply about things, does research in molecular biology and genetic engineering, performs magic professionally, enjoys science education and outreach, and often writes about whatever’s on his mind.

Platform music: Directed by Michael Engelhardt and Keegan Eich, The Gold Standard is a vocal jazz ensemble from Webster University that delights audiences with its attention to fine detail and musicianship while performing a variety of styles that all fit under the umbrella of jazz. From the classic sounds of Gene Puerling and Paris Rutherford to the more contemporary sounds of groups like Take 6, säje, and Kirk Franklin (and everything in between), the members of each ensemble pride themselves on their ability to adapt tonally and stylistically to the repertoire at hand.