MAGIC MAYHEM

10 Legendary Magic Tricks That Still Leave Us Spellbound

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Who doesn’t love a little bit of magic? From children to adults, a magician’s tricks can leave us mesmerized and bring back our sense of awe. In this enchanting realm, the lines between reality and illusion blur, and for a fleeting moment, we're transported to a place where anything is possible.

Prepare to have your mind twisted as we explore the history of 10 of the most astonishing magic tricks ever performed.

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Harry Houdini's escape from the "Chinese Water Torture Cell" remains one of the most iconic and death-defying stunts in history. Heavily restrained and suspended upside down in a glass tank filled with water, Houdini astonished audiences as he wriggled free from his chains and emerged unscathed. His ability to cheat death and escape from the most perilous situations captured the imagination of millions and cemented his legacy as the greatest escape artist of all time.

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In one of his most famous illusions, David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear before a live audience. With cameras positioned around the statue and spectators free to look around for the missing statue, the trick left everyone stunned and questioning their own eyesight. While the trick - which took months of planning and coordination - relies mostly on misdirection, it is still one of the most ambitious feats in magic history.

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The classic illusion of sawing an assistant or volunteer in half has been a staple of magic shows for centuries, but none have executed it quite like magician P.T. Selbit. In 1921, Selbit astounded audiences by performing the trick for the first time on stage. Using a large saw to seemingly divide his assistant in two - who was tied and locked inside a wooden crate - Selbit’s ingenious illusion, which he enhanced by having members of the public participate, soon became a sensation in the world of magic.

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Penn & Teller are known for their edgy and unconventional approach to magic, and their bullet catch trick is no exception. In this seemingly death-defying stunt, both illusionists catch a bullet fired by each other at the same time with their mouths! A different volunteer signs the tip of each bullet to assure the public that the caught bullets are the same ones they loaded into their guns. Despite the apparent danger, the duo has successfully performed the trick countless times, leaving audiences both terrified and amazed.

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British magician Dynamo stunned onlookers when he seemingly just started walking on the waters of the River Thames in London. With no visible means of support, the magician appeared to defy physics as he strolled effortlessly across the water's surface. The extraordinary stunt was reported in most UK newspapers at the time, and while other magicians have attempted the feat in shallower waters, Dynamo’s supreme illusion remains unsurpassed.

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Imagine if, instead of acknowledging the elephant in the room, you simply made it disappear altogether. Puns aside, in 1918 famous escapist Harry Houdini did precisely this, baffling audiences with his illusion of making a full-sized elephant vanish into thin air. After hiding the elephant inside a cabinet, he suddenly draws the curtains to reveal that the animal has vanished. The trick, which has since become a legend in magic circles, continues to confound audiences to this day.

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The ability to seemingly fly or levitate objects has long been a Holy Grail of magic, but few have mastered the art quite like Criss Angel. Known for his mind-boggling illusions, Angel has mesmerized audiences with his seemingly impossible feats of levitation. Whether floating above the Las Vegas strip or levitating a group of spectators, Angel's mastery of illusion is certainly not bound by the limitations of gravity.

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The Indian Rope Trick is one of the most infamous magic tricks in history, as it is shrouded in mystery. In this illusion, a rope is thrown into the air, where it magically stands erect, defying gravity. Then, a young boy climbs the rope and disappears into thin air, only to reappear moments later unharmed. Historical accounts of the trick go back as far as the 9th century, but to this day, no one is certain of how it was done.

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Invented by English illusionist John Nevil Maskelyne, the classic illusion of metamorphosis involves the instantaneous swapping of places of a magician and their assistant. One of the most famous renditions of this trick was performed by The Pendragons, a couple of expert magicians who executed the illusion with unparalleled precision and speed. In a matter of seconds, the couple would trade positions inside a locked box, leaving audiences gasping in disbelief at the seamless transformation.

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In this terrifying illusion, a magician lies on a table while sharp swords are suspended above, and the performer must seemingly struggle to escape before the blades are released. Usually, a curtain partially obscures the magician’s movements, but when it is pulled, the performer is revealed to be free and unharmed. Although the modern version of this trick is attributed to American magician André Kole, many include this unnerving stunt in their stage performances.

PREPPERS PARADISE AHEAD

Home Gardening & Buck Saving: 10 Vegetables You Can Grow at Home.

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Suppose you are making a delicious pesto sauce and find yourself in need of some basil. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just stretch your hand and take a few fresh leaves from your home garden? What about some parsley? Or maybe even a bell pepper? Believe it or not, with a couple of flowerpots, this kind of thing is possible in every home. Read on and discover 10 herbs and vegetables commonly used in the kitchen that can be grown with very little care and space, including plants that you never thought could thrive in such an environment.

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Whether you are making pesto, a Margherita pizza, or a number of other things, basil is a great herb to have around. And the fresh variety is a huge improvement over the dehydrated one.

Lucky for us, this plant can easily be grown indoors. Just a small flower pot or vessel with small holes for drainage on the bottom, soil, and a bit of sunlight. Harvest by cutting a few stems just above where two leaves meet and the plant will keep on giving!

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A herb so noble its uses are too varied to count, parsley can be easily grown indoors. All it requires is a small pot, some lightly moistened soil, and a sunny window. Give the plant these humble ingredients and it will reward you with an infinite supply of aromatic leaves that can be minced, chopped, or used in full for a myriad of dishes and sauces.

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Chives are a basic ingredient for many recipes but groceries only deliver tiny packages of cut chives or full plants that last only one meal or two. Fortunately, chives are a great herb to grow indoors.

The seeds can be sowed in a pot placed in a sunny spot, with a tray of pebbles and water under the pot to give the plant some extra moisture and you’re all set!

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Sprinkle it on a pizza, a roasted chicken, a tomato slice, or a thousand other foods, oregano is a celebrity herb in the Mediterranean pantry. And the great news is that, if it is on this list, it can be home grown!

Find a flowerpot with holes on the bottom, add some pebbles and soil, then put the seeds inside. Oregano needs lots of sunlight so make sure to place it near a sunny window and it will provide an infinite amount of flavor for your dishes.

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Most people would not believe that a sturdy, shrub-like herb can grow well indoors but, in the case of the rosemary, it does. It is a friendly plant that can be grown in the same pot with basil, as it shares the same soil and sunlight conditions. Snip a few stems to add amazing flavor to meats, pasta, and all kinds of preparations!

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Add a touch of French cuisine flavor to your everyday dishes with this aromatic wonder. Poultry, salads, soups, egg dishes, and virtually everything can be enhanced with this culinary jack of all trades.

To grow chervil indoors, simply plant the seeds into a small pot or container with some soil and put it close to a sunny window. Trim leaves and stems for your preparations and the plant will keep on giving for as long as you need it to.

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A herb so wonderful that it is even used to drive mosquitoes away, sage can be grown in the comfort of your own home. As with all the plants on our list, it needs all the sunlight your home can provide, a small pot, and fresh soil.

Its soft leaves, resembling bunny ears, can be plucked out to make flavorful stuffings, sausages, sauces, and more.

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All aromatic plants and herbs are beautiful in their own right and can help decorate a room, but if the plant is especially beautiful like thyme is, then the benefit doubles! This wonderful herb can add flavor to your roasted potatoes, chicken drumsticks, roasted vegetables, pasta, soup, and everything in between.

As usual, give it a sunny spot, a well-drained soil that can dry between waterings, and your gorgeous thyme plant is good to go.

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A multi-talented herb like mint flourishes in all kinds of preparations: from savory dishes and mojitos to chocolate-mint desserts, and as a topping for ice creams or infused in a tea.

If you were to plant it outdoors, mint can run wild and thrive by itself. But, since we are talking indoor plants here, we must advise putting mint in a small pot with rich soil and frequent watering. This way, your mint plant will grow and provide all its freshness for a very long time.

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Few vegetables are as ubiquitous in our dishes as bell peppers. You can stuff them literally everywhere. And growing bell peppers indoors has the advantage of providing a year-round supply of delicious homegrown produce.

Bell peppers are ideal for growing in pots. They need well-drained rich soil with organic matter and, again, all the sunlight your home can provide. Make a small stick cross, about 12 inches high, and plant it firmly in the soil, so the bell pepper that grows can attach itself to it.