top of page
Teacher's Resources
Search
Scamapalooza 48 – Card Counting With Dale Sadler
Imagine you’re a professional magician, performing a few card tricks at function when you’re approached by a mysterious stranger who...
Every con artist movie I watched to write my first novel
In 2015, I published my first novel, Chasing The Ace, the story of a teenager who dreams of becoming a master swindler after watching one...
The worst kept secret in card cheating history
I'm standing in the parking lot of Crown Casino and there's a card cheat standing in front of me—with his pants around his ankles—just as...
Scamapalooza 47 - The Truth About Lie Detectors with Dr Celine Van Golde
The truth about lie detectors is…they probably don’t work. And they never did. A polygraph is little more than a device that measures...
An evening with Penn & Teller
As a professional magician, I'm often asked the same question over and over. Who's your favourite magician? The answer hasn't changed in...
How to fool a magician with reality
Have you ever wondered what it must be like to be a magician watching a magic show? After all, we know all the secrets! Do we still get...
How to bend a spoon with the power of your mind
If you've seen The Bad Science Show or the Matrix or that one episode of Supernatural, then you'll know how powerful the idea of spoon...
The Best Illusion Of The Year
The Best Illusion of The Year contest was recently held by the Neural Correlate Society. The contest is a chance for scientists,...
Does learning magic make you creative?
Does learning magic make you more creative? As a professional magician of thirty years (I started young), I say: Yes! As a promoter of...
Science Gallery Melbourne
After a tiny, lockdown-induced postponement, Science Gallery Melbourne is finally opening to the public. Since the first Science Gallery...
The Life-Change Science of Detecting Bullshit
John V Petrocelli’s new book, The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit isn’t the first book written on the topic of bullshit. That...
Scientists did magic tricks for birds and here's what they learnt.
Performing magic with birds isn't new. The oldest recorded magic trick involves plucking a bird's head from its neck. (And putting it...
Why the hell do these snakes move?
Take a look at these snakes from Japanese psychologist and academic Akiyoshi Kitaoka That is, TRY to take a look at these snakes: They're...
George Washington's teeth and the backfire effect
I've been a big fan of Matthew Inman's The Oatmeal for many years. His comics perfectly balance my love of education and reason with my...
The magician I hate most in the world
I don't like being negative about other magicians, particularly those who've also dedicated their careers to science and critical...
The man who invented bunkum
Felix Walker was a 19th-century American congressman remembered for precisely one thing: giving half a speech. The year was 1820 and the...
The scientific secret behind carnival scams
If I had to list my top five things in the world it would look like this: 1. My wonderful daughter. 2. My other, slightly less wonderful...
What the hell even IS critical thinking?
Everyone knows critical thinking is important. It's a general capability for Australian students, employees demand it of jobseekers, and...
Do scientists go to heaven?
Sci Fight Science Comedy Debate is a quarterly event that brings together comedians and scientists to debate important topics in a very...
I accidentally turned my studio into an Escher painting
I painted the wall of my studio the other week and sent a photo to my friend Pablo. A few minutes later he responded: "WHY IS YOUR DOOR...
Here you'll find resources for teaching and promoting critical thinking, scam protection, and deception education. Many are linked to his school incursions while others are just for fun.
​
Make sure you subscribe to Nicholas's podcast. Scamapalooza. He interviews psychologists, authors, and researchers about why people are so easy to fool.
​
bottom of page