Science of the Magical : From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers (Hardcover)

from

In Science of the Magical, science writer for The Economist Matt Kaplan investigates possible scientific truths behind tales of the magical from folklore, mythology and pop culture. For instance, can examining the liver of an animal really tell you anything about the future? Or is there something...

from CatherineMilos

I found Kaplan's book a bit dull and repetitive in places, but overall it was an insightful look at how science and magic are symbiotic. He covered a wide range of topics and ideas. I was hoping for a more in-depth look, though. Great read. Science, Journalists, and fantasy lovers would be intere...

from AliceaP

Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan is a compendium of magical anecdotes. (It would have to be with a mouthful of a title like that.) Kaplan organizes everything under different subsections which allows him to cover a lot of ground but as some...

from Daumari

Probably could've finished this faster if I wasn't also trying to finish grad school... anyway, neat short book about the reality behind the myths and mythologies of our culture, from what Circe was really feeding Odysseus' crew to how Wolverine's healing factor could perhaps one day be fact. I h...

from lauriebrown54

"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...