Unveiling the secrets behind 10 worldfamous and common magic tricks.
Many people have seen magic tricks and, while being amazed by them, know that they are illusions, not reality. But have you ever wondered how they actually work? Today, I'll reveal the secrets behind 10 of the world's most famous and common magic tricks.
1. Body separation technique
This is probably one of the most common large-scale magic tricks, and it is indeed quite amazing. After the female assistant is put into the box, the magician cuts it in half with a knife and divides the box into two parts. After that, the female assistant will turn her head and smile, and move her limbs as if nothing had happened.
In fact, during the magic trick, two highly flexible female assistants enter the boxes. The magician helps the beautiful assistants into one box, leaving their heads sticking out—a part clearly visible to the audience. The most crucial secret lies in the second girl's foot protruding from the other end of the box. This foot must appear at the perfect moment, as if it were the first assistant's foot. After this, the magician can confidently pretend to saw the box in half, but he is actually simply sliding down between the two boxes.
2. Pass your hand through the solid glass.
To perform this magic trick, the magician first needs a very special mirror, consisting of a real, solid mirror and two separate, sliding mirrors. When the performer tries to pass his hand through the mirrors, the two fake mirrors move forward, allowing his hand to pass through the opening at the top. Then, his assistant moves the real mirror back to its original position before revealing the solid mirror to the audience.
Another type of street glass magic trick involves the magician reaching through shop glass to retrieve an item, using a similar technique. They coordinate with the shop owner to install movable glass panels, similar to those described above, on the display case, allowing the magician to insert their hand.
3. Make the audience members who volunteer to go on stage float.
This magic trick is quite amazing. The magician asks the audience if anyone wants to come up on stage, and ultimately chooses a pre-arranged assistant to participate. Then, the standing girl slowly floats up, leaving the audience in awe. It's especially unbelievable when the magician slides a sturdy ring around the girl's body.
In reality, the audience members who volunteer to go on stage float because they are lying on a board supported by a metal frame, and the frame is cleverly hidden, or in some cases, it is blocked by the magician in front of them.
4. Restore the torn banknotes to their original state.
This magic trick makes it seem as if torn banknotes can be restored to their original shape simply by the magician's fingers. However, the props are actually prepared beforehand. Two banknotes are glued together, but only the bottom edge is glued. The top half is separable; if folded outwards, it should form a pocket where it's glued. During the performance, the half that the audience can't see is folded up. Then, the front half of the banknote is torn in half, and the un-glueed half is further torn into pieces. These pieces are then stuffed into the pocket prepared on the banknote. Now, a perfectly intact banknote can be opened.
5. People floating in the street
These performances typically take place in public, where the performer appears to float in the air using only a cane. Even if you slide your hand back and forth above or below the performer, you won't discover anything further. But in fact, the secret lies in that cane. The performer is actually sitting on a support mechanism connected to the cane, the upper part of which is hidden by loose clothing, while the bottom is covered by a carpet.
6. Turning blank paper into money
This magic trick looks quite amazing, but in fact, the secret behind it might seem surprisingly simple to many. During the performance, first fold a banknote into a small square and place it in your palm. Then, choose any piece of white paper and light it to distract the audience. As the paper burns, discard it and simultaneously place the banknote between your fingers—the spot where the paper was burning. Finally, show the banknote intact to the audience. With a little practice, this technique is actually achievable for most people.
7. Floating cards
The performer makes it appear as if he's using magic to make the cards float. In reality, he simply places his index finger over the entire deck while using his little finger to move the cards upwards.
8. Signature plaque technique
When a magician performs this trick, they ask a spectator to sign a card, then tear the card off, and then magically reappear the card intact. This is the famous "slip-on" technique, which creates the illusion of magic. In reality, after the spectator signs the card, the magician quickly replaces it with a card previously hidden in their sleeve. The signed card is then discreetly hidden back into the deck, ensuring a surprise for the audience.
9. The Vanishing Box
For a long time, mirrors have been used to deceive the world. The Vanishing Box makes everything inside appear to disappear, then reappears with a wave of a wand. But in reality, a two-way mirror is placed at an angle inside the box, and the reflection makes it appear empty even when there are things inside.
10. Using a knife to pierce the person inside the box
This magic trick might look far more terrifying than some of the others. The female assistant, seemingly stuffed into a box or basket, has multiple knives stuck into her body by the magician, yet she still manages to smile.
In fact, the assistant is covered with a concealing cloth and enters a box or basket with exaggerated movements, making it appear as if she is struggling to squeeze herself inside. Once inside, she actually has enough space to adjust her posture as the knife is pushed around her. The magician initially only inserts the tip of the knife into the basket to allow the assistant to quickly change position and avoid injury. These female assistants inevitably possess quite flexible bodies.
Which of these magic tricks, and the secrets behind them, surprised you the most?