“The Science of the Magical” is exactly what the title
sounds like: explanations for things people have called ‘magic’, both in the
past and present. The book ranges widely; he covers transforming into animals,
healing pools, oracles, animals with uncanny behaviors, berserker warriors,
near death experiences, Captain America, things from ancient history to modern
days.
Kaplan is a science writer, and as such has a lot of
contacts in all areas of science, which helped a lot in his investigations.
Some things are fairly easy; hot springs made people feel better simply by
being warm in areas and times that were really hard to stay warm enough in. Hot
water helps many cases of sore, aching joints. No real mystery there.
Predicting the future by watching the movements of birds was a little harder,
but he makes a good case for birds being able to sense which way the winds are
prevailing. It turns out that shifting currents can mean a winter either colder
or warmer than usual, depending on which way it’s moving, much as El Nino/La
Nina means for us in the Pacific Northwest. The birds are just following the
winds. The Oracle at Delphi has been pretty well explained before; the cave she
did her prognosticating in had a crack in the floor that exhaled toxic fumes
that caused oxygen starvation in the brain. Super soldiers close to existing,
between amphetamines to keep[LB1]
soldiers awake and provide focus, steroids to enhance strength, and drugs that
increase red blood cell count and thus the amount of oxygen present in the
blood- shades of Lance Armstrong there!
The author writes in a clear, accessible style. He always
stays respectful of the culture from which the magical belief comes from. He’s
very witty as well as well educated. The book reads like what you’d get if
Terry Pratchett actually wrote a science book (instead of teaming up with
science writers)- especially in the footnotes. Fast and fun to read.
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This in no way influenced my review.
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