Matt Kaplan is a science correspondent with The Economist. He has also contributed to National Geographic, New Scientist, Nature, and The New York Times. He is the author of the book The Science of Monsters. In 2014, Kaplan was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship which he used to study the sciences at MIT and folklore at Harvard.
"Science of the Magical is a relevant, fascinating exploration of
just how weird the world can be. I tell people about things I read
in it at least once a week. In a world of bad news, it's refreshing
to pick up a book that is filled with wonder, mystery, and joy,
especially when all of that comes steeped in scientific realism and
evidence."--Maggie Koerth-Baker, journalist and author of "Before
the Lights Go Out: Conquering the Energy Crisis Before it Conquers
Us"
"In Science of the Magical, Matt Kaplan takes a smart, funny trip
through the ancient stories of magic that still have the power to
enchant us today. In the process, he also provides a remarkably
wide-ranging tour of modern science, from geology to neurobiology.
Far from being a glum debunker, Kaplan offers us new experiences of
wonder through his investigations. The effect is, dary I say it,
magical."--Carl Zimmer, author of "A Planet of Viruses"
"In Science of the Magical, Matt Kaplan takes us on a journey
spiced with the wonders of myth, history and art, leavened with
impeccable research, endlessly fascinating. And the result is both
a compelling read and a deeply thoughtful exploration of the world
around us and the ways we seek to understand it."--Deborah Blum,
author of "The Poisoner's Handbook"
"Kaplan's The Science of the Magical is an insightful and fun tour
de force on how magical thinking can arise in even the deepest
thinkers. There are dozens of books on how people think
irrationally, but no other book explains why we think irrationally
as clearly or with as much sensitivity and humanity."--Stephen L.
Macknik & Susana Martinez-Conde, authors of "Sleights of Mind: What
the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals About Our Everyday
Deceptions"
"What do The Princess Bride, The Odyssey, Super Mario Brothers, and
The Book of Exodus have in common? Answer: Matt Kaplan's ingenious
curiosity! Kaplan takes us on a scientific romp through fantasy,
magic, and mythology to explain supernatural powers and mythical
stories. He brings his questions to experts and to the laboratory
to try to determine (to name a few) whether a holy grail protected
nobles from poisoning, what you can learn from a liver and why pig
livers are not so great for such predictions, and what Adam and Eve
really ate to cause such a profound sense of self-awareness
(spoiler alert: it's not an apple!). Written in a highly engaging
and accessible style, you'll dig for the science behind myths and
magic and learn some science and scientific scepticism in the
process. And, you'll learn that holy grails probably didn't protect
nobles...at least not the grails that he studied! Highly
recommended."--Daniel T. Blumstein, Professor and Chair, Department
of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
In Science of the Magical, Matt Kaplan shows us the many ways by
which magic and science can complement and explain each other.
Written in a witty and personal style, Kaplan nimbly explores
topics as diverse as berserks, hepatomancy, Methuselah mice, stage
magic, superheroes, and sunstones, taking the reader on
wide-ranging journeys from Iceland, Turkey, and Yellowstone Park to
backstage in Las Vegas in his search for the science behind magic
and myths."--Stephen A. Mitchell, Professor of Folklore & Mythology
and Scandanavian, Harvard University and author of "Witchcraft and
Magic in the Nordic Middle Ages"
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