IYC2011 has been a great opportunity to innovate ways to foster science in general and chemistry in particular. Our team, who is involved in amateur magic, has adapted classical games to IYC characteristics. For instance, we have adapted many games based on mathematical properties to the periodic table, or we have used Chemical cards (each containing an atomic symbol) instead of usual Poker cards.

1. IYC2011: Magic, a catalyst for
Science awareness
Miquel DURAN, Sílvia SIMON, Laia GUILLAUMES, Josep DURAN
and Pep Anton VIETA
Càtedra de Cultura Científica i Comunicació Digital
Universitat de Girona
http://c4d.udg.edu @c4dudg
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

2. Stephen Macknik and Susana Martínez-Conde in “Sleights of Mind”
• Clarke’s 3rd law: Any sufficiently advanced technology
is indistinguishable from magic
• Agatha Heterodyne paraphrase: Any sufficiently
analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science
• Girona’s corolary: Any sufficiently depth insight into
science is indistinguishable from magic (e.g., isn’t
chemistry real magic !? )
Stephen Macknik and Susana Martínez-Conde, “Sleights of Mind. What the
neuroscience of magic reveals about our brains”. Profile Books, London 2011
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

3. Alex Stone in “Fooling Houdini”
• There is a wealth of connections between
magic and science: psychology, neuroscience,
mathematics, physics [+ chemistry]
• The world of magic is filled with scientists and
the world of science is filled with magicians
• Scientists and magicians are people who take
an interest in mysteries
Alex Stone, “Fouling Houdini. Magicinas, Mentalists, Math Geeks and the
Hidden Power of the Mind”. Harper Collins, New York, 2012
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

4. Two Key Quotes
• The most exciting phrase to hear in science,
the one that heralds new discoveries, is not
'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ...‘
(Isaasc Asimov)
• Martin Gardner has turned hundreds of
mathematicians into magicians and hundreds
of magicians into mathematicians (Persis
Diaconis)
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

5. Our Recreational Science Group
• During our demonstrative and spectacular shows along the
International Year of Chemistry 2011, we have performed live
– Classical Chemical Magic (e.g., water and wine)
– Adaptations of mathematical games to Chemistry
– Use of the Periodic Table as a fun, structured and polivalent tool to
perform tricks and games
– Both classroom and stage magic
• Tricks can be explained (teaching), outlined or just used to
impress and impact
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

6. Mathematics and mentalism
• Most mathematical games
can be adapted to peform
magic shows to
communicate science.
• Our special focus has been
the Periodic Table:
adaptation of games on
calendar and other card-
based demonstrations.
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

7. Cards to explain Quantum Chemistry
• A poker set of cards is used to teach a few
concepts:
– Random number (red / black)
– Superposition of states: from Schrödinger’s cat to
Schrödinger’s card
– EPR (Einstein-Podalski-Rosen) entangled pairs
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

8. Magic and the Periodic Table
• The Periodic Table
– One of few cases in Nature based on natural
numbers
– Allows vertical, horizontal and other groups
– Correspondence between numbers,
symbols… and letters
– Allows for adaptation and amplification of
classical games and tricks
– Parity games: trip along
– Well knows by a general audience
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

9. Gilbreath’s Principle
• The so-called Gilbreath’s Principle allows to
magically produce sets of cards. In our case,
we produce either metals/non metals, or
organic/inorganic molecules
• Other card-based, mathematical games are
used to introduce chemical concepts
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

10. Group “2Duran+-”
With Miquel Duran, Josep
Duran, Pep Anton Vieta
and Laia Guillaumes –
and other collaborators
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

11. Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

12. Quasicrystals, Nobel Prize Chemistry 2011
• Game related to Gilbreath’s Principle
• Show relating Islamic Art, Penrose Tiling,
DeBruijn cycles, Quasicrystals – and indeed
mathemagics/mentalism.
• Linking Martin Gardners’s books and
computer science.
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

13. More Fun: Quirkchemistry
• From the Penrose Staircase to Borromean,
Solomon and Trefoil Knotted Molecules
• From futballene to tennisballene – and other
funny named chemical systems
• To knot or not to knot, that’s the question 
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

14. Making molecules with cards and other craft
• Balloons
• Straws
• Tootpicks
• Cards
• Origami
• Etc
• e.g. fullerene a.k.a. footballene 
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

15. Yet More Fun
• Magic with eggs (from Green Omelettes to
Eggs Physics and Chemistry)
• Magic of Light
• Magic of Energy
• Lateral thinking puzzles
• Fun with chemical cards
• EYMR stuff (even yet more fun)
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net

16. Key ideas to (tweet and to)
take away
• Key idea: Education is not a
preparation for life. Education is
life itself
• Let me introduce you to my
favourite chemist – Panoramix
• This presentation is available at
http://slideshare.net/quelgir
• Thank you!
Miquel Duran @miquelduran http://miquelduran.net