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Again, very enjoyable episode. Kat is good at explaining things.
But that brick breaking….it was bad enough to start with, but the slow-mo’s on his head? Made me cringe!
One wee little gripe though…… not enough Derren in this one!
LC x
lol u loast at the casino, OFF BY 1! SO CLOSE, anyway, kl vid lolz
Great one. Glad you touched on martial arts breaking techniques with this one.
I’m a martial arts instructor with nearly 30 years training experience and hold 3rd dan black belts in two different styles. I have performed stunts similar to these and also broken blocks of wood and brick with strikes. I can honestly say that there’s no mystical energy involved AT ALL. It’s all a question of technique and confidence. I could teach pretty much anyone to do these and other breaks in a very short time.
I would like the team to explain the physical principles of how someone can break a named brick, say the second or third one down, without the use of spacers or plaster of paris substitutes. I don’t think it’s mystical energy, just interested to hear a science explanation for it.
Nice explanation, but i didn’t get any “extraordinary power” feeling on this one… The first 2 episodes hits me more, but never the less, another one is revealed!
Thanks for reading en wave when your disappointed (it helps)
What about the guy that can ring a bell with focused energy saw it on a late night martial arts programme about hidden arts. He stands there, gets in stance about two meters away from this foooookin big bell. Then he says ………………. siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii choooo or something equally dark and mysterious and then the bell gongs like fook. Not just once, he has quite a few gongs in him I can tell ya. Or dongs. But enough about my personal life.
I think it’s been a long time since the martial arts world tried explaining these stunts are ‘paranormal.’
They’re usually explained, as our friend above mentions, as the result of a lot of training in correct technique and application of a degree of self belief.
As a layman, I’m not about to attempt smashing a brick with my bare hands; I know I’ll get hurt because I lack the training.
I’m hoping for better from the rest of the series, so far it feels a little lack lustre.
@ Storm – he’s usually standing on a sprung wooden floor and stamps at the appropriate time. AND/OR in a room with decent acoustics so the bell simply ‘echoes’ his shout.
These episodes are great, the science behind it actually makes sense to me and its not long and boring, (17 with a crap attention span) yay its not confusing like other things trying to be explained to me like with science in the past lol. I don’t feel stupid
I think these science of scams episodes are brilliant. I hope there are more Psychic / Paranormal ones skin to the Psi Wheel…. one on table turning and perhaps one on the scams of seances would be fantastic.
Kat, your method of describing the science behind the scams is simple to understand and easy to follow.
Loving them… thank you!
all three of these videos so far i just knew how they done it as they done it, it was just obvious to me, i cant see how people fall for these things, u could tell the bricks wer brittle when he put them on the floor, and the one where he held it on his head, the man with the sledge hammer, didnt hitn the brick in the middle where his head was, creating a pivot like a see-saw, which took most of the energy and that one alone where it pivoted on his head u could see how brittle the bricks were because it punched a hole into it. i dont know weather derren reads these comments, but why was darren in my dream last night trying to control me lmao
To be honest, I reckon that you did the casino trick and missed by one on purpose. It doesn’t seem realistic for derren to go live and know there is a chance that he may get it wrong.
hmm, why doesn’t derren do the explanations? I’d much rather hear him explain it, and why are they picking tricks which have all been debunked ages ago or are easy to figure out anyway?
Kat,
Looking at the John Chang YouTube video you tweeted about, I’d say this:
The ‘scientists’ that the TV crew called in to examine JC (interesting initials there) did not carry out any of the ‘experiments’ in a controlled environment or with any real controls at all, other than going to a random hotel room. Hmm.
The tests that they did on him MAY have been extensive but the footage does not show this. It shows a cursory examination of him with a voltmeter and a metal detector. Neither of which appear to be extensive fully body checks.
I’ll have to post a part 2 as I’m running out of characters!
Everything he does can, I’m sure, be replicated by competent entertainers like Mr Brown; who acknowledge that they don’t have genuine magical powers.
There’s a good response here http://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8888 about half way down. That rationally explains much of what he ‘performs’.
Plus, we all know that some people are susceptible to suggestion; which could explain the involuntary movements and or sensations of electricity (let’s not forget static electricity too).
There’s also the placebo effect to take into account when it comes to explaining possible ‘cures’ from treatment of this kind.
What are your thoughts?
Not sure what happened to part 2
What he does can be replicated by ‘magicians’, like Mr Brown.
There’s an interesting explanation here http://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8888 about half way down.
As for people feeling what he ‘generates’ that could be down to susceptibility to suggestion or fraud on their parts.
Let’s not forget static electricity too. We’ve all felt shocks (both good and bad!) touching/kissing someone who’s positively charged.
Also, there’s the placebo effect to consider when it comes to explaining ‘cures’ for treatments he administers.
So, what are your thoughts?
And here’s a good explanation from James Randi about spontaneous fire creation:
The potassium permanganate + glycerin trick is accomplished by preparing two pharmacy-style gelatin capsules, one with the KMnO4 crystals, the other with glycerin (glycerol) (C3H8O3). They are taped together, then concealed within the cloth, paper, or other flammable material. When the material is crushed so as to fracture both capsules together, the mixed contents produce a powerful exothermic chemical reaction that ignites the package.
Pt 2 next
Pt 2
The permanganate, a powerful – poisonous – oxidizing chemical in the form of dark purple crystals, can be obtained at any store selling water-purifying supplies. The glycerin – a harmless, thick, clear, syrupy liquid, is found at any pharmacy.
Setting yourself on fire is possible too:
The mixture of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and carbon bisulphide (disulphide) (CS2) – both clear liquids – is about 50% of each. It is not too highly inflammable, but can easily be ignited. The result is a pale blue flame, which can only be seen in subdued light. Neither liquid should be imbibed, and should be washed off the skin quickly.
Hi @Jonny8, I would agree that many of the effects experienced by participants is due to susceptibility and expectation. For me though, I would like to witness an event like this taking place before commenting. I always work that way. while I accept the scientific argument, I always prefer to hear what those taking part have to say, and see them in action so to speak, before making an observation that means anything to me.
Kat
she says ‘follow through’ twice….hilarious!
Gotta love the faces that dude pulls when it shows the brick being broken in slo mo, and i found it funny how the music got right intense at about !:58 :p
Derren♥
To me- the first few brick breaks are impressive- even though I understand the science behind them- not so sure about the dodgy attempt to look like Tai Chi, though!
what about ice-breaking?
You can also soak a brick in water then freeze it. It makes the brick brittle and easy to break but looks like a normal brick. You can then tell your friends you broke it with your ‘Chi’.
I’ve been training for 20 years and never punched a brick in my life. When I asked about it just after I started, my instructor said ”The only ‘skills’ you need to smash a brick with your hands is an ability and willingness to hit it very hard, and not to mind that it’s going to hurt like hell.”