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Magnetic boy

Sticky skin is my guess. Talcum powder would be the best test. Would work with magnets, not with adhesion.
 
Mister Earl said:
Sticky skin is my guess.
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I'd call that an obvious conclusion, not a guess. None of the objects show ANY sign of actual attraction to the kid, it makes no difference if they're metal or not, and every time anything is placed on his chest, the surface of contact is always inclined. So all you need to keep an object on his chest is a large coefficient of friction. And that's easy to do. I guarantee you that if the kid leans forward, it all falls off.

The kid is fat, and that makes it easy to get that sloped surface on his chest, but that's the only thing "special" about him.
 
rjh01 said:
It is a party trick, nothing more. My source is the article itself. This is nothing but a fluff piece.
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One of the first books on magic I ever read included this stunt as a "human magnet" trick. The recommended apparatus was US coins, which are metal but which are not attracted by magnets. (Trivia part one: Some Canadian coins ARE attracted by magnets.) A variation of this "human magnet" trick was demonstrated in the movie "Annie Hall," and the young boy for whom the trick was demonstrated was unimpressed. (Trivia part two: when "Annie Hall" was broadcast on commercial television in the US, the boy's remark, "What an ***hole!" was not censored.)

Even today, one of my favorite impromptu tricks is a variation on the human magnet trick. I use just a tad of misdirection and a little bit of presentation to make the trick seem baffling. But it is just a trick. With a little practice, and knowing the secret, pretty much anyone can do it.

Somewhere in one of my family photo albums is a picture of members of my family sitting around our dinner table waiting for dinner to be served. Out of boredom, some of us began to hang spoons from our faces, and someone thought this was a funny enough sight to take a picture of it. And it was funny; silly, really. But not mysterious.
 
The only tricks I see are the journalistic tricks, statements such as

"So far, doctors have offered no explanation for the seemingly healthy boy's apparent magnetism, which affects no other members of his family."

Really? You mean the international society of doctors that scan every TV station 24 hours a day haven't rang in? Wow must be something to it.
 
And an article to confirm what everyone already knew or posted:


MAGNETIC BOY: MYSTERY OR SIMPLE PHYSICS?
(...)
The key to understanding this phenomenon lies not in magnetism nor in any sort of mystical ability but instead in the physics of friction. Skin is very elastic (that’s why they call it “plastic surgery”) and tends to conform to objects it comes in contact with. This is especially noticeable on hot days when bare skin attaches itself to leather or plastic seats. Skin can also be somewhat adhesive for the same reason.

It also has nothing to do with magnetism. Indeed, the fact that non-magnetic (non-ferrous) materials like plates stick to his skin is proof of that. What do metals, glass, and plastic have in common? All of them have very smooth surfaces.

So-called magnetic people have a few characteristics in common. First, they have very little hair on their bodies. Sometimes (as in the case of seven-year-old Bogdan) it’s because the person is an adolescent and has not reached puberty. Often the magnetic people are of Asian descent and thus not typically hirsute. This is important because any hair that comes between the skin and an object placed on the skin will reduce the friction.

Second, magnetic people seen in photographs and videos with objects on their body tend to lean back slightly, or stand more or less perpendicular to the ground. If there really was some sort of unknown or magnetic force holding the objects to the body, the person should be able to lean over. It’s also true that Bogdan is a bit chubby, and thus some of the weight of the spoons and other objects on his chest is actually resting on the upper part of his protruding stomach.

If the reason the objects are sticking to the “magnetic” person is because of magnetism instead of simple skin friction, there’s no reason they should only stick to bare skin. Magnetic attraction works even through a thin piece of paper, and if the magnetism is as strong as is claimed, the magnetic people should be able to do their trick with a shirt on.

There’s no real secret or mystery to it: Anyone who’s seen a child with a spoon on his or her nose has seen it before. So are these people faking for attention, or do they really believe they have these powers? Most likely, they really believe they have special abilities. The only reason it seems unusual is that very few people spend their free time sticking spoons, knives, and small plates on their bare chests to see if they stick.
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http://news.discovery.com/human/magnetic-boy-mystery-or-simple-physics-.html
 
Seems to me that conjuring should be a required subject in medical school
 
Newbeak said:
Seems to me that conjuring should be a required subject in medical school
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Why? The most likely next sentence to this....

Darat said:
"So far, doctors have offered no explanation for the seemingly healthy boy's apparent magnetism, which affects no other members of his family."
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..would likely be: because we havent bloody asked one because when he stated the obvious truth it would ruin the mystique of our story. Just as Darat implied.
 
Darat said:
The only tricks I see are the journalistic tricks, statements such as

"So far, doctors have offered no explanation for the seemingly healthy boy's apparent magnetism, which affects no other members of his family."

Really? You mean the international society of doctors that scan every TV station 24 hours a day haven't rang in? Wow must be something to it.
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BatPhone.jpg
"Yeah, turn's out the fat kid's just sticky."
 
This isn't the first 'magnetic boy' to be pushed into the media. Strangely enough, the last ones I can remember were chubby as well.
 
Ryokan said:
This isn't the first 'magnetic boy' to be pushed into the media. Strangely enough, the last ones I can remember were chubby as well.
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Of course. The various candy and syrup residues commonly found on the skin of chubby boys is what makes the whole thing work.
 
Clearly not only do metal objects stick to this slightly sweaty, sticky boy. A few meals have stuck to his ribs as well.
 
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