Magicians have one job: To exploit what we don’t know. Whether we’re watching David Blaine withstand a million-volt jolt of electricity or Darren Criss rip bodies apart, we’re entertained because we simply do not understand.

But what happens to magic when science reveals the truth behind the illusions?

That magicians would feel threatened by the revealing repercussions of the information age is understandable — but not inevitable. In fact, Jason Latimer, a world champion magician, scientist, and host of the new Thursday-night Comic-Con HQ series Impossible Science, which showcases scientists turning the fantastic into reality, argues that magic and science go hand in hand: Behind the smoke and mirrors, illusions are driven by mechanisms created by science; but more importantly, he says, the pursuit of scientific discovery is driven by the seemingly unfeasible scenarios posited by magicians. Latimer talked to Inverse about real-life invisibility cloaks, the impact of Fantastic Voyage on science, and why we’ll probably see Iron Man become a reality in this lifetime. Read more…

https://www.inverse.com/article/20867-magic-impossible-science-jason-latimer?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=inverse&utm_campaign=organic