Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound ...

To help pay for his undergraduate education, Elias Garcia-Pelegrin had an unusual summer job: cruise ship magician. “I was that guy who comes out at dinnertime and does random magic for you,” he says.

The exploits of any paranormal detective — from Sherlock Holmes to Scooby-Doo — will tell you that the mysterious and the magical always have an explanation grounded in science. (Take the Victorian ...