The Magic Math Trick That Fools Everyone
The Rest Is Science
How the Trick Works Using Binary
Michael reveals the trick encodes numbers as binary: circles as zeros and squares as ones to decode the chosen number.
What makes a simple brain-teaser about two identical swords one of the most deceptively tricky logic puzzles of the last century? And why has this seemingly innocent riddle fascinated mathematicians, programmers and puzzle-solvers for decades?
First shared in recreational maths circles before spreading across classrooms and online forums, the “swords of truth” puzzle asks a disarmingly straightforward question — yet its solution reveals deep ideas about reasoning, information, and the limits of what we can deduce from what we’re told.
Is the puzzle just a clever bit of misdirection, or a gateway into the foundations of logic itself? And why does a question about two swords feel so strangely relevant in an age of misinformation?
Welcome to The Rest Is Science: Field Notes.
Every Thursday, Hannah and Michael rummage through their personal troves of scientific treasure and source discoveries that explain our understanding the universe, oddities that scramble our brains, objects that hint at forces we’ll never see...and a few things that are essentially just plain cool.
Expect deep dives into the science behind each pick, the spark that grabbed their attentions, and the sheer delight they get from sharing it all with you.
They’ll also be tackling your questions, so email The Rest Is Science at therestisscience@goalhanger.com.
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Video Producer: Adam Thornton
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Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott
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Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
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