Breaking the magician's code?

For as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed a good magic trick whether it was simply someone finding a coin behind my ear (a feat that, in this economy, would make me more excited than I was at age 5) or something more David Copperfield-esque like making the Statue of Liberty disappear. My first reaction was always, "Wow, how did you do that?" to which I often heard the frustrating reply, "I can't tell you; otherwise, I would be breaking the magician's oath."

OK, so I understand that if everybody knew how to do it, magic tricks would lose their value and spice.

However, this Saturday, October 17 in Hall B1 at McCormick Place from 11am to 1pm, these tricks will be demystified at "Magic, the Brain, and the Mind" when Apollo Robbins and Eric Mead discuss how our attention, memory, and perception influences the way we "see" illusions. There's even the promise of demonstrations! If my flight to Chicago is on time, you can bet I'll be in the front row (taking notes!).

For more information behind illusion and magic, read over this informative Scientific American article.