Magic tricks have the power to transform the impossible into reality. For years, magicians have enthralled audiences with visual illusions—like pulling a rabbit from a hat or sawing someone in half—yet tricks that depend solely on sound are quite rare. A recent article in the Cell Press journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, published on October 4, examines the complexity of crafting a magical experience through sound alone and emphasizes the need to make magic accessible for individuals who are blind.
“Since magic revolves around the clash between what we perceive and what we believe, one would think we could create magical experiences through other senses; however, it turns out to be quite difficult,” explains Gustav Kuhn, the article’s corresponding author and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Plymouth. “For someone born blind, experiencing a magic trick is likely never possible. What could we create that would allow those with blindness to enjoy and experience magic?”
Very few tricks engage other senses like touch, and almost none focus exclusively on auditory perception. Nevertheless, auditory illusions are omnipresent. For instance, stereo sound alters audio timing between our ears, which gives us the impression of sounds coming from various directions. Films employ the Shepard tone, which creates the experience of an endlessly increasing pitch, to evoke tension and suspense, keeping viewers on their toes.
So, why is there a scarcity of auditory magic tricks? The researchers suggest that this could be due to the stark differences in how our brains process visual versus auditory information. As predominantly visual beings, humans tend to place greater trust in what they see rather than what they hear, making us more astonished when our sight misleads us.
Moreover, visual perception often mirrors the actual state of the world, while auditory perception tends to be fleeting. In essence, sound conveys information about past events. Given that magic hinges on manipulating our perceived reality, this distinction between visual and auditory experiences might explain the rarity of auditory magic tricks.
“When you see a trumpet, you don’t say ‘I saw a perception of a trumpet,'” Kuhn points out. “But if you hear a trumpet, you’re more likely to say, ‘I heard the sound of a trumpet.’ This is a subtle difference that often goes unnoticed.”
Another explanation could be that magicians haven’t explored the potential for auditory tricks. However, the team finds this unlikely considering the creativity and extensive history of magic. To investigate further, they started a competition inviting magicians to create tricks using only sound, with results anticipated in November 2024.
“Magic shouldn’t depend solely on visuals, yet crafting a trick absent of our visual senses is incredibly challenging,” Kuhn states. “While we don’t fully understand the reasons behind this phenomenon, it presents a captivating question that encourages deeper exploration into our senses and could lead to a more inclusive form of magic.”
This research was funded by a grant from the Agence Nationale de Recherche.
