Black Box | Radiolab Podcast

From the Radiolab podcast: A series of stories that celebrate the mystery and the magic of… the Black Box
In this episode, first aired in 2014, we examine three very different kinds of black boxes - spaces where we know what’s going in, we know what’s coming out, but can’t see what happens in that in-between space.
From the darkest parts of metamorphosis to a sixty-year-old secret among magicians and the nature of consciousness itself, we shine some light on three questions. But for each, we contend with an answerless space, leaving just enough room for mystery and magic… always wondering what’s inside the Black Box.
Reported and produced by Tim Howard and Molly Webster
Episode Segments:
00:00 Intro
00:50 The mystery of anesthesia
22:05 Psychics on the BBC
42:10 How did they do it? with Penn Jillette
49:15 Chrysalis
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Guests in this episode include: Patrick Purdon, Julie Fenster, Carl Zimmer, Emery Brown, Jesse Cox, with clips of Sydney Piddington and Lesley Piddington on the BBC, Jim Steinmeyer, Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller, Andrei Sourakov, Matthew Cobb, Philip Clayton and Martha Weiss.

[@icecreamtruckog3667]

It is on the radio, transmitting is a pain in the as at this time. There were no real lack of quality in the audio and they were in the same studio.

[@tubeofnoob4683]

Or she could have been listening from under the stage or something? They could just be lying that she is somewhere far away. There no way they would be able to find a company with a diving bell one day then a private plane the next. It makes sense she was hiding close by lol

[@brandonbaty2291]

That was my thoughts exactly. How did they know for sure she was where they said? They might have but I wish they would have confirmed that aspect for us listeners.

[@danielludlow8960]

Well.....Leslie is far away from the studio but she did when it was time to speak because the technician signaled hed...obviously the technician can hear....and the technician could just write it down and hand it to her. It's radio. How does audience...live or listening on the radio...know where she was really at or how would they know if she was handed a piece of paper with the words from the technician. It's a trick or even a lie....because we want to believe in miracles and/or the supernatural....they always ended with...you are the judge....so the judgement seems to be....they are telling the truth even though its a lie.

[@Keshet59]

Regarding 'waking up' under anesthesia; please don't worry. That wonderful exchange, during the first surgery performed under ether, between the surgeon and anesthetist- where Morton tells Warren, 'sir, *your* patient is ready'- still holds true. Behind that blue drape, the anesthesiologist is acutely aware of every physiological value of the patient, from vital signs and blood oxygen and CO2 concentration to the degree of muscle relaxation. A patient aware enough to be scared or in pain would telegraph that state loud and clear.
I am the world's worst patient because I am a doctor, and I'm the epitome of more knowledge giving more to worry about. But I regard anesthesiologists as akin to airline pilots: they're great when the situation is routine, but when everything goes south in a hurry, that's when their expertise comes to the fore. In the case of the anesthesiologist, the patient is his or her only focus.
And the magic trick? It's the book trick, very convoluted with lots of variations. Google it.

[@brandawwwwwwwwwg]

When I was racing bikes I had to have an oral surgery a lot of a cyclist training is based on resting heart rate. I had this idea what better opportunity to get a true resting heart rate I proposed to the anesthesiologist my idea. Right before I go out could he tell me my heart rate. He said it would be very close to my actual resting heart rate and he could do that. To this day, the very last thing I remember is him saying twice 54...54. That experience was incredible for him to time it exactly like that truly blew me away