The Science of Magic Meets the Magic of Science(a)

看魔术搞什么鬼？——魔术、科学大车拚

On April 8 1983, iconic American magician David Copperfield unveiled a stunning piece of magic. In front of the watchful gaze of his audience, he made the 93-meter-tall Statue of Liberty vanish. Broadcast live around the world, the trick left millions dumbstruck in front of their televisions, with some so shocked that they unconsciously crossed themselves for comfort.

Was it witchcraft or some sort of superpower? Those in attendance and watching on television around the world were left wondering about this and more. The real answer, though, is none of the above. The statue never left its pedestal; Copperfield was simply using physiology and mechanics to fool the audience into temporarily not being able to see it.

Firstly, the audience in attendance that night was seated on an outdoor stage specially made to rotate. When the show began, Copperfield started off with spotlights, searchlights, and a helicopter to prove to everyone that the statue was in fact there. Then as the curtain was raised in front of the statue, they went to commercial and followed that with Copperfield telling the audience about the history of the Statue of Liberty. While the audience's attention was elsewhere, the stage slowly turned, and the helicopter overhead turned with them.

After a few minutes, the curtain was lowered, and not aware of having been turned, the audience naturally couldn't see the statue anymore. At the same time, the searchlights and spotlights set up at the second site, where the audience would be looking, proved that the miraculous disappearance had occurred. Amidst the gasps and applause, Copperfield again raised the curtain, and in moments the statue was once again standing in front of the audience, completing possibly the greatest feat of illusion of the 20th century.

　　1983 年 4月 8 日，著名美国魔术师戴维．考柏菲，表演了一个举世震惊的魔术──在众目睽睽下将 93 公尺高的『自由女神像』变不见！透过现场直播，全世界守候在电视机旁的无数观众无不目瞪口呆，有人甚至在惊讶之余还不自觉地在胸口划起『十字』来安定心神。

　　『这场表演究竟是巫术或超能力？』这是现场来宾与电视机前观众的共同疑问。正确的答案是『以上皆非』。自由女神像自始至终不曾离开原地，戴维只是运用生理学、机械学的巧妙计算，让观众暂时『看不到』女神像而已。

　　首先，来宾在表演当晚所坐的户外舞台，本身就是一个特制的大型旋转座，当表演开始时，戴维先以聚光灯、探照灯及直升机，确认自由女神像的存在，紧接着布幕在雕像前升起、进广告，戴维则讲述女神像的历史来分散观众心神，舞台也在此时同步旋转，上方直升机则以相同转速飞行。

　　数分钟后，布幕降下来，不知不觉被『转了身』的观众，当然看不见原本的女神像，此时再开启已预先安排在第二现场的探照灯及聚光灯『左证』，于是，『奇迹』出现了！在一片惊叹声和掌声中，戴维将布幕再度升起，没多久自由女神像又再度出现，现身在观众眼前，20世纪最经典的幻术也大功告成。