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Spoon bending is the apparent deformation of objects, especially metal cutlery, apparently either without physical force, or with less force than normally necessary.

During the 1970s, there were reports of people who claimed to have the ability to cause such events. The most notable was Uri Geller, a former stage magician who demonstrated his alleged psychic powers by bending metal spoons (hence the popular name) as well as metal keys and several other objects and materials. As a result of these claims, Geller had many detractors, notably James Randi, who wrote a book detailing Geller's routines.

Stage magic

Causing spoons, keys, and other items to appear to bend without any physical force is a common stage magic trick that has many variants. The result is a single bend or break, usually at the point where the object would be easiest to bend by hand. In one of the more elaborate demonstrations, magician Daniel Harrison bent a spoon in a 1971 filmed performance (called a "trance") that took nearly 2 hours. He used only one hand to hold the spoon, without using his thumb, and did not flick the spoon. In the last five minutes, the audience saw it bend slowly to about 90 degrees, and quickly bend back.

Methods

In most cases, the trick uses misdirection, a basic tool of the stage magician. The performer draws the audience's attention away from the spoon during the brief moment while he is actually bending it with his hands. The typical bend, where the bowl meets the handle, requires relatively little force. The magician then gradually reveals the bend.

Uri Geller, in one of his performances, combines suggestion and misdirection. He starts by rubbing a spoon at the neck, where it already has a curve by design. As he rubs it, he remarks that the spoon is starting to bend, causing people to notice the curve. As he stands up to display the spoon, his body moves enough that the audience does not notice him also bending the spoon with his hands. The audience believes that the additional bending is merely a continuation of the imaginary bending he suggested earlier.

Other methods use a metal spoon that has been prepared so that a simple flick will cause it to bend or break. This can be done, for instance, by repeatedly bending the spoon at the desired spot, until the metal cracks and weakens. If the spoon breaks, the magician holds together the two halves of the spoon as if it were unbroken, then slowly relaxes the grip, making the spoon appear to bend before splitting in two.

If a magician has control over the viewing angle, the trick can be done by using a spoon that is already bent at the start of the trick. The spoon is initially held with the bend along the viewing angle, making it invisible. The magician then turns the spoon slowly to reveal the bend.

Symbolism

Due partly to the publicity surrounding Geller in the 1970s, spoon-bending has become a common visual symbol for paranormal ability. In the 1999 film The Matrix, protagonist Neo watches a boy bend a spoon without any force. The boy cautions Neo that bending the spoon is impossible; he must "bend" his perception instead and realize that the spoon, like the rest of his world, does not really exist.

In literature

In his autobiographical book Travels, Michael Crichton describes attending a spoonbending party in the course of his exploration of New Age spirituality.

See also

• Anomalous operation
• Pigasus Award
• Psychokinesis

References

1. James Randi, The Truth About Uri Geller, New York: Prometheus Books (1982)
2. Emery, C. Eugene, Jr. (1987). "Catching Geller in the Act" (Reprint, hosted by permission). Providence Sunday Journal. Retrieved 2007-05-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. Larsen, Claus (October 2002). "Uri Geller & Spoon Bending: How he really does it". SkepticReport. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
4. James Randi (October 19). [[NOVA (TV series)|NOVA]]: Secrets of the Psychics (flv (Clip from episode archived at YouTube)) (Documentary). Event occurs at 5:15. Retrieved 2007-05-30. Of course, it does take a little preparation. In fact, it takes a lot of preparation... Isn't this a more reasonable explanation? {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); URL–wikilink conflict (help)
5. ibid., at 3:45
6. Emery, op. cit.

External links

• Excerpt from Travels: Michael Crichton's account of attending a PK party.
• Follow-up comment from Michael Crichton: Crichton comments on the controversy over spoon bending
• Mass Spoon Bending in Australia: Video from Sydney Skeptics in the Pub where everyone is bending spoons.

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• Magic tricks
• Paranormal