Dr. David Willey, a physics instructor at the University of Pittsburgh who has become famous for debunking extraordinary physical feats through simple physics principles, reveals the secrets to several "magical" feats, including walking barefoot on broken glass.
All in the Preparation
The key to such tricks is all in the preparation. To walk on glass, for example, it's best to use large bottles (preferably Mason jars or containers soaked in water to remove any paper labels) and be sure to smash them flat with a cast iron skillet.
Lying of a Bed of Nails, Dipping Fingers in Molten Lead
He also explains how you can:
These demonstrations can be dangerous, so do not try them at home.
Because you know how fond I am of science, I suspect you'll enjoy reading this fascinating article by Dr. David Willey. Dr. Willey's traveling physics show has been seen by about 50,000 students, and he is the "resident mad scientist" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is also one of the current world record holders for the longest firewalk.
As the article mentions, it's a lot safer and better for your health if you don't try out these neat physics tricks on your own in hopes of entertaining and impressing your friends. Better to send them this link, using the e-mail to a friend feature on the top right-hand corner of this page.
The answers that come from science are sometimes blindingly obvious and sometimes disturbingly counterintuitive ... or, sometimes, against the current received wisdom. Even scientists themselves can sometimes be blinded by their own preconceived notions, even when study after study after study shows something to be so.
And the studies themselves are sometimes conducted by organizations that are less than trustworthy. That's why it's always important to look at the results of scientific studies for yourself, and also to ask yourself the question: who conducted the study, and did they have a particular agenda in mind?
I have done careful research for years in an effort to help catalyze a transformation of the conventional health care paradigm and share it with the world.
In the end, I believe that the truth will triumph, and sound scientific thinking will overcome "magical" beliefs in false notions of health care that have no real evidence to back them up, no matter what the people trying to sell them to you would have you believe.