Sometimes, good magic tricks use deep math or physics. Join mathematician and magician Persi Diaconis as he illustrates this by taking a coagulation-fragmentation model used in physics, chemistry, astronomy, and biology and making a surprising trick out of it. Understanding the trick and the underlying dynamics of the model leads to nice problems in combinatorics and probability. And yes, the trick really does involve chocolate!

Special introduction by Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor Emeritus of the City University of New York

Although the August 2 Math Encounters presentation will only be running at 7:00 pm, there will be another special event taking place at 4:30 pm. Click here to learn about Platonic Solids: Tiffany lamps, art objects, and stepping-stones to higher dimensions.

Math Encounters is a public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics, presented by the Simons Foundation and the National Museum of Mathematics.

For further information, call the National Museum of Mathematics at (212) 542-0566 or e-mail mathencounters@momath.org.

Please note, this presentation is designed to be accessible and engaging to a general audience. As a rule of thumb, it would be best enjoyed by participants ages 12 and up.

Please check our online shop for books by Math Encounters presenters.