Original subtitles

ARE YOU THE TYPE OF

PERSON WHO'S CONVINCED YOU CAN'T

BE DECEIVED?

THEN PAY CLOSE ATTENTION.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS.

IT'S A VERY STRANGE AND RARE

CARVING OF A SKULL.

AND THE REASON IT'S SO STRANGE

IS IF YOU COVER IT UP, EVEN FOR

A SECOND, THEN IT COMPLETELY

DISAPPEARS.

AND THAT ALSO EXPLAINS WHY IT'S

SO RARE.

DIDN'T CATCH HOW

THAT HAPPENED?

LET'S REWIND AND WATCH IT AGAIN.

AND THE REASON IT'S SO

STRANGE IS IF YOU COVER IT UP,

EVEN FOR A SECOND, THEN IT

COMPLETELY DISAPPEARS.

THE SKULL HAS

VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.

BUT HOW?

NO ONE THINKS THAT THEY'RE

GOING TO BE THE PERSON WHO'LL BE

SO EASILY FOOLED, BUT IN FACT,

PEOPLE CAN BE FOOLED.

THINK YOU KNOW HOW

PSYCHOLOGIST RICHARD WISEMAN

DID THIS?

WE'LL FIND OUT IF YOU'RE RIGHT

IN A MINUTE.

THE FACT IS, OUR SENSES DECEIVE

US ALL THE TIME.

FELT DUPED AND BETRAYED.

OUR BRAINS ARE RIDDLED WITH

ALL THESE LITTLE QUIRKS THAT

WARP OUR SENSE OF REALITY.

IN THIS SPECIAL H2

MINI-SERIES, YOU'LL TAKE PART IN

FIVE MIND-BENDING EXPERIMENTS.

OH!

EITHER I'M REALLY GULLIBLE

OR YOU'RE JUST REALLY GOOD AT

YOUR JOB.

I'D LIKE TO THINK IT'S BOTH.

YEAH.

AND WE'LL SEE HOW

THE SIMPLE MENTAL MISTAKES

REVEALED BY THESE EXPERIMENTS...

WHAT?

HAVE CHANGED THE

COURSE OF HISTORY.

IF YOU LOOK BACK ON HUMAN

HISTORY, YOU'LL SEE THE IMPACT

OF THESE ILLUSIONS, OF THESE

MISTAKES, PLAYING OUT ON A BROAD

STAGE.

IN THIS EPISODE,

FIND OUT WHAT A CARD TRICK

REVEALS ABOUT HITLER'S DEATH,

HOW AN EMBARRASSING TYPO LED TO

BIBLE BURNINGS, AND WHAT A

MAGICAL MIRROR HAS TO DO WITH

CROSS-DRESSING SAILORS.

THEY'RE ALL KEYS TO DECEPTION,

KEYS THAT UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF

YOUR BLEEP'D-UP BRAIN.

HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT HOW RICHARD

WISEMAN DECEIVED YOU WITH HIS

MAGIC SKULL?

LET'S WATCH IT ONE LAST TIME.

AND THE REASON IT'S SO

STRANGE IS THAT IF YOU COVER IT

UP, EVEN FOR A SECOND, THEN IT

COMPLETELY DISAPPEARS.

IF YOU STILL

HAVEN'T GOT IT, PERHAPS YOU

SIMPLY NEED ANOTHER POINT OF

VIEW.

A RARE CARVING OF A SKULL...

THE SKULL SIMPLE ISN'T ON THE

TABLE AT ALL.

IN FACT, IT'S WAY BEHIND ME.

SO WHEN I MAKE SOMETHING VANISH,

IT WASN'T THERE TO START WITH.

THIS TRICK

ILLUSTRATES HOW EASY IT IS TO

DECEIVE THE HUMAN BRAIN.

THE BRAIN COLLECT ENORMOUS

AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION.

AND SOMETIMES, THE IT SIMPLY

MISINTERPRETS WHAT IT SEES.

WHEN YOU BECOME AWARE OF JUST

HOW YOUR BRAIN ACTUALLY WORKS,

ITS AMAZING ABILITY TO CONSTRUCT

YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE UNIVERSE,

IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

OUR BRAIN IS CONSTANTLY

DECEIVING US.

OUR MINDS FILL IN THE BLANKS

WITH WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.

AND WHEN OUR MINDS

FILL IN THE BLANKS, THINGS CAN

BECOME A LITTLE CONFUSING.

AND IN THE CASE OF ADOLF HITLER,

IT CAN EVEN CHANGE HISTORY.

AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II COMES

A SHOCKING ANNOUNCEMENT.

ON MAY 1, 1945, IT WAS

ANNOUNCED THAT HITLER WAS DEAD.

THEY SAID HE DIED HEROICALLY ON

THE FRONT LINES IN BERLIN.

BUT SUSPICIOUSLY,

THIS ASTOUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

DIDN'T COME FROM THE ALLIES.

IT CAME FROM THE NAZIS.

IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT THAT IS

SO IMPORTANT AS THE DEATH OF

HITLER, YOU'RE NOT JUST GOING TO

TAKE SOMEONE'S WORD FOR IT.

THEY HAD TO SEE THE BODY.

THE NEXT DAY,

SOVIET TROOPS FOUND THE FUHRER'S

BODY NEAR HIS BUNKER.

THERE'S FAMOUS FOOTAGE WHERE

THE RUSSIANS ARE TAKING PHOTOS

OF HITLER'S BODY.

HE HAD A GUNSHOT WOUND IN THE

HEAD.

THEY HAD A PHOTO OF HITLER, AND

THEY PUT RIGHT NEXT TO HIS FACE

AND SAID, "HERE'S THE DEAD BODY.

HERE'S THE PHOTO, WHAT DO YOU

THINK?"

AND EVERYONE'S LIKE, "YEAH."

SO, HITLER'S DEAD.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

RIGHT?

NOT SO FAST.

MAGICIAN EKATERINA DOBROKHOTOVA

HAS A SIMPLE CARD TRICK THAT

REVEALS HOW THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS

WHAT THEY SEEM.

SEE IF YOU CAN FOLLOW THE CARDS.

NOW DAVID, I'M GOING TO CUT

THE CARDS.

AND YOU SIMPLY SAY "STOP"

WHENEVER YOU WANT, GO AHEAD.

STOP.

RIGHT HERE? ARE YOU SURE?

PERFECT.

TAKE YOUR CARD.

OKAY.

SHOW IT TO THE CAMERA.

ALRIGHT.

I'M GOING TO HAND YOU BACK THE

REST OF THE DECK.

AND JUST PLACE IT IN WHEREVER

YOU WANT.

I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT IT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S AS FAIR

AS POSSIBLE.

ARE YOU DONE?

YES.

PERFECT, DAVID, I FEEL LIKE

TAKING A BREATH STRIP, OK?

SO DON'T MIND ME.

YOU WANT ONE?

THAT'S OKAY.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING

THAT'S IN THIS BOX.

NOW WATCH CLOSELY.

WATCH CLOSELY.

ONE SHAKE.

CAN YOU HEAR SOMETHING IN THE

BOX?

I'M GOING TO TAKE THE CARDS FROM

YOU.

OPEN IT UP AND TELL ME WHAT'S

INSIDE.

GO AHEAD.

WAS THAT YOUR CARD?

DID YOU ACTUALLY FIND YOUR CARD

IN THE BOX?

YEAH.

BUT WATCH.

TO PROVE IT, I HAVE HERE THE

REST OF THE CARDS.

NOW YOU PLACED IT SOMEWHERE IN

THE MIDDLE.

SO LET ME FIND IT REAL QUICK.

THIS IS THE TEN OF CLUBS.

IT'S MISSING ONE PIECE.

I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU

COMPARE IT AND TELL ME IF THIS

IS A PERFECT MATCH.

YEAH, IT'S A PERFECT MATCH.

THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CARD THAT

WAS PICKED.

AWESOME, DAVID, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND THIS WAS MY TAKE ON THE

CLASSIC PICK-A-CARD TRICK.

YOU'RE PROBABLY

WONDERING WHAT'S THE POINT OF

THIS TRICK?

AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH

HITLER'S DEATH?

THIS TRICK IS NOT ONLY ABOUT

UNCOVERING THE 10 OF CLUBS.

IN THIS ONE, THE TRICK'S ON YOU.

DID YOU NOTICE

ANYTHING UNUSUAL?

I HAVE HERE THE REST OF THE

CARDS.

NOW YOU PLACED IT SOMEWHERE IN

THE MIDDLE.

SO LET ME FIND IT REAL QUICK.

THIS IS THE TEN OF CLUBS.

IT'S MISSING ONE PIECE.

I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU

COMPARE IT AND TELL ME IF THIS

IS A PERFECT MATCH.

YEAH, IT'S A PERFECT MATCH.

THAT'S DEFINITELY CARD THAT WAS

PICKED.

NOT SO MUCH?

LET'S WATCH THE TRICK FROM

ANOTHER ANGLE.

SO LET ME FIND IT REAL QUICK.

THIS IS THE TEN OF CLUBS.

IT'S MISSING ONE PIECE.

I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU

COMPARE IT AND TELL ME IF THIS

IS A PERFECT MATCH.

YEAH, IT'S A PERFECT MATCH.

THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CARD THAT

WAS PICKED.

DID YOU NOTICE

THERE WERE TWO MEN?

EKATERINA'S CARD TRICK WAS A

RUSE DESIGNED TO DISTRACT AND

DECEIVE YOU.

THIS IS THE 10 OF CLUBS.

WHILE YOU WERE

LOOKING AT THE CARDS, YOU

PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THAT

WE SWITCHED OUT ONE PERSON FOR

ANOTHER.

CHANGING WHAT THE BRAIN IS

FOCUSED ON CAN MAKE US

VULNERABLE TO DECEPTION.

AND A MASTERFUL DECEPTION IS

EXACTLY WHAT THE NAZIS WERE

TRYING TO PULL OFF WHEN THEY

ANNOUNCED THAT HITLER WAS DEAD.

BUT THEIR DECEPTION DIDN'T QUITE

WORK.

WHILE THE SOVIETS WERE PREPARING

HITLER'S BODY FOR AN AUTOPSY,

THEY NOTICED SOMETHING STRANGE.

BASICALLY, WHAT THEY FOUND

WAS THAT HE HAD HOLES IN HIS

SOCKS.

WHY IS THE LEADER OF NAZI

GERMANY WEARING SOCKS WITH HOLES

IN IT?

THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

IF ANYONE IN GERMANY CAN AFFORD

GOOD SOCKS, IT'S HITLER.

THIS WAS A BIG RED FLAG.

THE SOVIETS

COMPARED THE CORPSE'S TEETH TO

HITLER'S DENTAL RECORDS, AND

THEIR DOUBTS WERE CONFIRMED.

SO YOU GOT HOLEY SOCKS AND

DENTAL RECORDS.

THIS IS THE WRONG GUY.

BUT HOW COULD

SOVIET TROOPS HAVE MISIDENTIFIED

THE MOST INFAMOUS AND

RECOGNIZABLE FACE IN THE WORLD?

WHY DOES OUR BRAIN MISS CHANGES

THAT ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR

EYES?

TAKE YOUR CARD.

OKAY.

SPEAKING OF SUCH

CHANGES, DID YOU NOTICE

EKATERINA'S OTHER TWO DECEPTIONS

DURING THE CARD TRICK?

YOU WERE SO FOCUSED ON THE CARDS

THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE NOTICED

THAT HER HANDKERCHIEF AND

HAIRSTYLE ALSO CHANGED.

THESE LITTLE DECEPTIONS FOOL US

BECAUSE OUR BRAINS OFTEN MISS

CHANGES HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT

OF US.

AND THIS WAS MY TAKE ON THE

CLASSIC "PICK A CARD" TRICK.

THERE CAN BE BIG CHANGES IN

THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US, AND

WE DON'T PERCEIVE IT BECAUSE

OUR ATTENTION IS ELSEWHERE.

IF WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO

SOMETHING, BIG CHANGES CAN

HAPPEN, AND WE WON'T EVEN NOTICE

IT AT ALL.

AND THAT'S CALLED CHANGE

BLINDNESS.

BECAUSE YOUR

ATTENTION WAS ON EKATERINA'S

CARDS, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T

NOTICE THE THREE CHANGES IN THE

ENVIRONMENT.

IF WE CAN MISTAKE OBVIOUS

CHANGES LIKE THESE THREE,

IMAGINE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE

MORE SUBTLE CHANGES IN DETAIL AS

WITH THE REMAINS OF ADOLF

HITLER.

HE HAD THE MUSTACHE, I MEAN,

IT WAS DRESSED LIKE HITLER.

WHEN YOU FIND THIS, WHY WOULD

YOU DOUBT IT?

I MEAN, IT'S HITLER, RIGHT?

IT LOOKS LIKE HITLER.

WHAT--HOW MANY PEOPLE LOOK LIKE

HITLER?

THE PHONY FUHRER

WAS ACTUALLY A NAZI SOLDIER

NAMED GUSTAV WELER.

GUSTAV WELER WAS ONE OF

HITLER'S BODY DOUBLES.

THE WHOLE THING WAS PART OF A

DISINFORMATION STRATEGY.

IT WAS MEANT TO THROW PEOPLE

OFF, TO CONFUSE PEOPLE.

REPORTEDLY, HITLER

USED 6 BODY DOUBLES DURING THE

COURSE OF THE WORLD WAR II TO

KEEP THE ALLIES FROM KNOWING

EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS.

BUT THE SOVIETS AREN'T THE ONLY

PEOPLE WHO HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO

LITTLE DECEPTIONS LIKE THIS.

CHANGE BLINDNESS AFFECTS ALL OF

US EVERY DAY.

WHEN WE'RE AT A RESTAURANT, WE

OFTEN FAIL TO NOTICE IF THE

WAITER ATTENDING TO US CHANGES.

JUST BECAUSE WE SEE SOMETHING

DOESN'T MEAN OUR BRAINS ARE

ACTIVELY PAYING ATTENTION TO IT.

THE BRAIN OPERATES ON JUST 15

WATTS OF POWER, SO IT CAN ONLY

TAKE IN THE MOST BASIC DETAILS.

THAT'S WHY WE ROUTINELY FAIL TO

SPOT OBVIOUS CHANGES.

AND THAT MAY BE WHY HITLER'S

BODY DOUBLE CONVINCED THE SOVIET

TROOPS, AT LEAST AT FIRST.

HE WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD TO

MAKE IT LOOK LIKE HITLER HAD

DIED.

THIS IS THE DOWNSIDE TO DOUBLING

DICTATORS.

KEEP THAT IN MIND.

IN CASE ANYBODY OUT THERE IS

THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS AS A

CAREER, DON'T.

AS FOR THE REAL

HITLER, TO THE WORLD'S RELIEF,

HE KILLED HIMSELF IN HIS BUNKER,

AND DENTAL RECORDS CONFIRMED IT.

THE NEXT TIME YOU TRUST WHAT YOU

SEE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GIVE IT

A MORE CRITICAL LOOK.

WE'VE SEEN HOW A

DISAPPEARING SKULL CAN TRICK YOU

AND HOW SEEMINGLY OBVIOUS

CHANGES CAN DECEIVE US.

EVEN THE SIMPLEST ILLUSIONS CAN

DECEIVE OUR BRAINS.

AND WE CAN PROVE IT.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS DESK.

NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL?

LET'S MOVE IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK

AT THE OBJECTS ON THIS DESK.

NOTICE ANYTHING STRANGE ABOUT

THIS RUBIK'S CUBE?

HOW ABOUT NOW?

AND CHECK OUT THE PAIR OF

SNEAKERS.

GO ON, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

WITH DECEPTION, IT'S OUR

ASSUMPTIONS THAT CAN BE

MANIPULATED.

WHAT PSYCHOLOGISTS AND

PROFESSIONAL MAGICIANS DO IS

THEY EXPLOIT YOUR EVERYDAY

ASSUMPTIONS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY CAN

COMPLETELY FOOL YOU.

OUR BRAINS USUALLY

RUN ON AUTOPILOT, ASSUMING

EVERYTHING AROUND US IS ONE

SEAMLESS REALITY.

AND IT OFTEN OVERLOOKS ANY

UNEXPECTED CHANGES THAT HAVE

OCCURRED.

AS WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD,

WE DON'T ACTUALLY TEST OUT ALL

OF THE IDEAS IN OUR HEADS.

BECAUSE WE DON'T

DOUBLE-CHECK EVERYTHING OUR

BRAIN PERCEIVES AS REALITY, WE

OCCASIONALLY MISS IMPORTANT

DETAILS.

AND IN ONE INCIDENT, MISSING THE

DETAILS GAVE THREE CRIMINALS THE

CHANCE TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.

ALCATRAZ'S REPUTATION WAS

THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO

ESCAPE.

BUT IN 1962, THREE

INMATES HATCHED A CRAZY PLAN TO

BUST OUT.

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, THEY SNUCK

INTO THEIR CELLS' AIR VENTS AND

CHISELED AWAY AT THE WALLS.

BUT THE GUARDS HAD TO

BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE SAFELY

ASLEEP IN THE BEDS WHILE THEY

WERE DOING THIS WORK.

THEIR ENTIRE PLAN DEPENDED UPON

THEIR BEING ABLE TO GO UNNOTICED

WHILE CHIPPING AWAY AT THE

AIRSHAFT.

TO DECEIVE THE

SURVEILLANCE, THESE THREE

INMATES GOT CRAFTY.

SO WHAT DID THEY DO?

THEY CREATED THESE MANNEQUINS.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF

THE MANNEQUIN WAS THE MASK.

THESE MASKS WERE MADE OF A

KIND OF HODGEPODGE PAPER MACHE,

HUMAN HAIR FROM THE PRISON

BARBERSHOP, PAINT FROM THE ARTS

AND CRAFTS ROOM, CRUMPLED-UP

NEWSPAPERS.

ESSENTIALLY, THEY MADE MASKS

WHICH LOOKED ENOUGH LIKE HUMAN

FORMS THAT THE GUARDS WOULD

THINK THESE ARE JUST OTHER

PRISONERS ASLEEP IN THEIR BED.

INCREDIBLY, THEIR

CRAFTINESS PAID OFF.

WHAT'S AMAZING IS THESE

MASKS DID NOT JUST WORK FOR ONE

NIGHT.

THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH AN

ELABORATE PROCESS OF ESCAPING

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.

SO FOR A FEW MONTHS, ACTUALLY,

THEY WERE PUTTING THE MASKS IN

THEIR BED EACH NIGHT, AND EACH

NIGHT, THEY WOULD GO UNNOTICED.

AFTER THREE

PAINSTAKING MONTHS, THE CHISELED

HOLES WERE BIG ENOUGH TO PASS

THROUGH.

AND THE THREE MEN MADE THEIR

DARING ESCAPE ON JUNE 11, 1962.

IT'S AMAZING TO THINK THAT

THIS INESCAPABLE AND VERY

EXPENSIVE-TO-RUN PRISON WAS

TOTALLY CHALLENGED AND

SUCCESSFULLY TAKEN ON BY,

ESSENTIALLY, AN ARTS AND CRAFTS

PROJECT.

HOW COULD A PAPER-

MACHE MASK FOOL THE NATION'S

MOST HIGHLY TRAINED JAILERS?

WE HAVE AN EXPERIMENT THAT MIGHT

SHED LIGHT ON THIS DARING

ESCAPE.

IN 5 SECONDS, WE'LL SHOW YOU TWO

PEOPLE.

NAME THEM AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE.

READY?

IS IT PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE?

LET'S SEE IF OTHERS RECOGNIZE

THESE FACES.

JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE.

CLINTON AND GORE.

UH-HUH.

AL GORE?

IT'S AL GORE?

AND...

BILL CLINTON.

AND AL GORE.

OKAY.

RIGHT?

HANG ON A SECOND.

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?

TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THE PERSON

ON THE LEFT.

THEIR MOUTHS ARE THE SAME.

AND THEIR NOSES ARE THE SAME.

WHAT?

MAYBE THEY LOOK ALIKE.

I DON'T KNOW.

AND THEIR EYES ARE THE SAME.

DO THEY LOOK ALIKE?

NOT REALLY, RIGHT?

THAT'S THE SAME EXACT FACE.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

PEOPLE HAVE A REALLY HARD

TIME GRASPING THIS, BUT THE GUY

ON THE LEFT IS NOT AL GORE.

IT'S BILL CLINTON'S FACE

DUPLICATED.

IT'S REALLY EASY TO MISS THAT.

THIS OPTICAL

ILLUSION FOOLED NEARLY EVERYONE

JEFF SHOWED IT TO.

YOU KEPT STICKING WITH GORE.

RIGHT.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?

I DON'T KNOW.

OUR BRAINS DON'T

ALWAYS EXAMINE THE FINER DETAILS

OF WHAT WE SEE BECAUSE IT

REQUIRES EXTRA WORK.

THE BRAIN IS BASICALLY LAZY,

SO AS SOON AS IT'S ACCEPTED THE

OUTLINE OF WHAT IT THINKS IT

SEES, IT JUST FILLS IN THE REST

AND ASSUMES THAT ALL THE DETAILS

MATCH.

THAT'S WHY WE FILL IN AL GORE

WHEN IT REALLY ISN'T AL GORE'S

FACE.

IT'S HARD TO THINK THAT YOU

COULD CHANGE SOMEONE'S FACE AND

STILL RECOGNIZE THEM.

I FELT DUPED AND BETRAYED.

I WAS LIKE GOING BACK AND

FORTH TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

I'M BUGGED OUT A LITTLE BIT.

HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL

ABOUT YOUR VISUAL PERCEPTION?

THIS IS GOING TO TAKE MONTHS

AND MONTHS OF THERAPY.

PEOPLE SAY THAT SEEING IS

BELIEVING, BUT IT SHOULDN'T

ALWAYS BE.

IN THE CASE OF THE

CLINTON/GORE ILLUSION AND IN

THE ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ, THE

BRAIN MADE QUICK, ALMOST

INSTANTANEOUS ASSUMPTIONS WHICH

MADE IT POSSIBLE TO MASK

REALITY WITH DRAMATIC AFFECT.

THESE GUARDS EXPECTED TO SEE

SLEEPING PRISONERS.

BUT NO ONE BOTHERED TO LOOK AT

THE DETAILS OF THESE PAPER MACHE

MASKS BECAUSE THE GUARDS JUST

ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE PEOPLE.

AND FOR THE GUARDS

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, THIS

ASSUMPTION MADE FOR A RUDE

AWAKENING.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THE

PANDEMONIUM THAT TOOK HOLD.

THE INESCAPABLE PRISON HAD BEEN

BROKEN.

THREE CONVICTED CRIMINALS WERE

NOW AT LARGE.

SO, NOT FOR NOTHING, THE PRISON

CLOSED ITS DOORS.

NO ONE REALLY KNOWS

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ESCAPED

CONVICTS, IF THEY SURVIVED THE

WATERS OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY OR

DIED IN THEM.

BUT THIS MUCH IS CLEAR...

OUR BRAIN DOESN'T BOTHER WITH

THE DETAILS WHEN IT BELIEVES

THAT IT'S ALREADY GRASPED THE

BIG PICTURE.

PEOPLE BELIEVE WHAT

THEY SEE IS AN ACCURATE

REPRESENTATION OF THE WORLD

SURROUNDING THEM, BUT ACTUALLY,

WE'RE ONLY SEEING SMALL PORTIONS

OF THE BIGGER PICTURE.

THE REALITY IS THAT THE HUMAN

BRAIN CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE

BILLIONS OF PIECES OF DATA THAT

OUR SENSES, INCLUDING SIGHT, ARE

CONSTANTLY DELIVERING.

SOMETIMES OUR BLEEP'D-UP BRAIN

IGNORES THE DETAILS.

AND THIS QUIRK OF THE BRAIN HAS

PAVED THE WAY FOR LEGENDARY

DECEPTIONS THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

DURING WORLD WAR II, ONE OF THE

ALLIES' MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPONS

WAS AN INFLATABLE TANK.

THAT'S RIGHT, THE BRITISH ARMY

MADE HUNDREDS OF THESE

INFLATABLE RUBBER TANKS AND

STRATEGICALLY STAGED THEM TO

FOOL AERIAL BOMBERS.

WHEN THE NAZI BOMBERS SAW THE

DUMMY TANKS FROM THE SKY, THEY

MISTOOK THE FAKES FOR THE REAL

THING AND ATTACKED.

THIS DECEPTION DISTRACTED THE

NAZIS AND ALLOWED THE ACTUAL

BRITISH TROOPS TO MOVE UNOPPOSED

IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.

OUR BRAINS GUIDE US

THROUGH THE WORLD, INTERPRETING

EACH SITUATION AND ENVIRONMENT

IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP US SAFE

AND SECURE.

BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, OUR BRAINS

ARE FAR FROM PERFECT.

IT'S HARD TO THINK THAT YOU

COULD CHANGE SOMEONE'S FACE AND

STILL RECOGNIZE THEM.

IF SOMEONE

UNDERSTANDS THE BRAINS' FLAWS,

THEY CAN MANIPULATE US WITH

SIMPLE DECEPTIONS.

OUR BRAINS TAKE SHORTCUTS

BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND

THE ENERGY AND THE TIME TO WASTE

OUR ATTENTION ON EVERY LITTLE

DETAIL.

THE SWEET SPOT FOR OUR BRAINS IS

TO OPERATE AT JUST GOOD ENOUGH.

FRANK ABAGNALE JUNIOR IS ONE

OF THE MOST FAMOUS CON MEN IN

THE HISTORY OF AMERICA.

FRANK ABAGNALE

JUNIOR'S LIFE INSPIRED STEVEN

SPIELBERG'S FILM, "CATCH ME IF

YOU CAN."

BUT HOW DID HE EARN THIS

IMPRESSIVE IF DUBIOUS HONOR?

HE STOLE MILLIONS USING NOTHING

MORE THAN SIMPLE DECEPTION.

SO TO MAKE MONEY, FRANK

LITERALLY MADE MONEY.

HE WOULD FORGE CHECKS.

FRANK CASHED $2.5 MILLION IN

FORGED CHECKS.

FRANK HAD REALLY, REALLY GREAT

FORGERIES, AND HE WAS ALSO GREAT

AT DISTRACTING THE BANK TELLERS.

HE WOULD COME IN DRESSED AS A

PILOT.

SIMPLY BY DRESSING

UP IN A PILOT'S UNIFORM, FRANK

TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO AN

INTERNATIONAL JET-SETTING

PLAYBOY AT THE AGE OF 16.

IN 1964, FRANK DECIDED TO PUSH

HIS CON A LITTLE FURTHER, AND

WORE HIS PILOT'S UNIFORM TO JFK

AIRPORT IN NEW YORK.

WITH CONFIDENCE AND GUMPTION,

FRANK CONNED HIS WAY ONTO A

PLANE.

HE MUST HAVE BEEN SWEATING

BULLETS.

BUT BY SHEER TYRANNY OF WILL AND

LUCK, HE MADE IT.

HE LANDED, GOT OFF IN FLORIDA.

NO ONE SUSPECTED ANYTHING.

AND THIS WAS JUST

THE BEGINNING.

THIS TEENAGE PILOT FLEW TO 26

COUNTRIES ON 250 DIFFERENT FREE

FLIGHTS.

IT TOTALED MORE THAN A MILLION

MILES, ALL AT PAN AM'S EXPENSE.

I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING WHEN I

WAS A 16 YEAR-OLD BOY.

AND HE WAS FLYING AROUND THE

COUNTRY DOING WHATEVER HE WANTED

TO DO.

(bleep) THAT GUY.

(laughs)

WHY DID FRANK'S

BASIC DECEPTION WORK SO WELL?

TO TEST HOW SUSCEPTIBLE OUR

BRAINS CAN BE TO PEOPLE IN

SIMPLE DISGUISES, WE TRIED AN

EXPERIMENT ON THE STREETS OF NEW

YORK CITY ON THE DAY OF A

NATIONAL ELECTION.

UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE

STATE OF NEW YORK DAN HODAPP HAS

AGREED TO LET A FILM CREW FOLLOW

HIM ON HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN,

AS HE SOLICITS LAST-MINUTE

VOTES FROM THE PUBLIC.

SO, HI, JUSTIN.

I'M SENATOR DAN HODAPP.

WHAT I'M ASKING PEOPLE TODAY IS

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A

VOTER?

I'LL SAY EDUCATION.

CUTTING MILITARY SPENDING.

DEFINITELY THE ECONOMY.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE A BIG

PRIORITY.

CLIMATE CHANGE.

IN AN EFFORT TO

CAPTURE THEIR VOTES, SENATOR

HODAPP ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS OF

HIS CONSTITUENTS.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS DEFINITELY

SOMETHING THAT IS A TOP

PRIORITY.

I OF COURSE VOTED AGAINST ANY

LEGISLATION THAT CAME UP

REGARDING WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE

RIGHTS.

I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT

THAT WE LIFT PEOPLE UP,

ESPECIALLY ECONOMICALLY...

AND TO PROP UP HIS

OWN CAMPAIGN, SENATOR HODAPP IS

GATHERING PROMISES FROM VOTERS

THAT THEY WILL ACTUALLY VOTE FOR

HIM BY SIGNING HIS VOTER PLEDGE.

SO I'M HAVING FOLKS SIGN A

VOTER PLEDGE.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO

THAT FOR ME?

THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU SIGN DAN

HODAPP'S VOTER PLEDGE?

LET'S SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO.

AND I KNOW YOU'LL VOTE TO

SHAKE THINGS UP IN WASHINGTON,

YOU'LL CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE

AND YOU'LL HELP TO LEAD US TO A

NEW GOLDEN AGE. (laughs)

SURE.

AWESOME.

WHO ARE YOU UP AGAINST?

I'M UP AGAINST, UH, MINDY...

GILBTH.

I VOTED FOR YOU.

WONDERFUL! AWESOME!

EVERY PERSON DAN

SPOKE WITH SIGNED HIS

RE-ELECTION PLEDGE.

BUT HE'S GOT A MORE SOBERING

MESSAGE FOR HIS WOULD-BE

VOTERS--DAN HODAPP IS NOT A

SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.

HE'S AN ACTOR.

WHAT IF I TOLD THAT I'M NOT A

SENATOR?

UH... WELL, YOU FOOLED ME.

WHAT MADE YOU PERCEIVE THAT I

AM A SENATOR?

YOU'RE IN CHARACTER.

YEAH, MM-HMM.

YOU HAVE A CERTAIN

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE, CLEARLY.

AND YOU KIND OF DRESS THE PART.

I MET TWO OTHER POLITICIANS

TODAY, AND YOU SEEM TO BE JUST

AS REAL AS THEM.

AND NICE HAIR.

OKAY.

SO YOU GOT PRODUCT IN THERE?

YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF

PRODUCT.

THE WAY YOU ARE DRESSED.

I MEAN, EITHER I'M REALLY

GULLIBLE, OR YOU'RE JUST REALLY

GOOD AT YOUR JOB, OR BOTH.

I'D LIKE TO THINK IT'S BOTH.

JUST LIKE DAN

HODAPP, FRANK ABAGNALE FOOLED

PEOPLE BY DRESSING THE PART.

HIS UNIFORM AND HIS CONFIDENCE

LED PEOPLE TO BELIEVE HIS LIES.

UNLESS WE HAVE A REASON NOT

TO BELIEVE A NEW PIECE OF

INFORMATION, WE WILL ACCEPT IT.

IT ACTUALLY TAKES WORK TO

DISBELIEVE SOMETHING WE'VE JUST

BEEN TOLD.

WE BELIEVE FIRST AND ASK

QUESTIONS LATER, IF WE'RE LUCKY.

AND THAT'S WHY WE

CAN FALL UNDER THE SPELL OF A

SHARP-DRESSED CON MAN.

FRANK WAS A SELF-MADE EXPERT

IN HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.

HE KNEW THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO

BE A MASTER OF DISGUISE TO MAKE

HIS CONS WORK.

THE REAL TRICK WAS IN THE BRAIN

OF THOSE HE FOOLED.

THE BRAIN IS

GENERALLY WIRED TO ACCEPT WHAT

IT SEES AS TRUTH, AND IT'S

USUALLY BETTER THAT WAY.

REST ASSURED, FOR EVERY

INCORRECT ASSUMPTION THE BRAIN

MAKES, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF

CORRECT ASSUMPTIONS.

BUT THROUGHOUT HISTORY, CON MEN

HAVE MANIPULATED OUR WILLINGNESS

TO TAKE THINGS AT FACE VALUE.

THIS INCLUDES THE INFAMOUS

SWINDLER CHARLES PONZI.

IN THE EARLY 1900s, PONZI

DECEIVED INVESTORS OUT OF

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH SUCH

SKILL THAT HIS NAME IS FOREVER

LINKED TO A FINANCIAL SWINDLE,

THE PONZI SCHEME.

OR VICTOR LUSTIG, WHO POSED AS A

FRENCH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN

1925 AND SOLD THE EIFFEL TOWER

TO AN UNWITTING SCRAP METAL

COLLECTOR FOR TODAY'S EQUIVALENT

OF NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

REPORTEDLY, LUSTIG ATTEMPTED

THIS STUNT TWICE.

WHILE WE DON'T ALL BREAK THE

LAW, MOST OF US PRACTICE THE ART

OF THE CON IN EVERYDAY LIFE

WHEN WE TRY TO IMPRESS SOMEONE

ON A DATE...

OR EXAGGERATE THE TRUTH FOR A

JOB INTERVIEW.

EVERYBODY FUDGES THE TRUTH ON

THEIR RESUME.

THEY BOOST THEMSELVES UP.

FRANK JUST BOOSTED HIMSELF WAY

UP.

WHILE PULLING A CON

IS AN ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE,

SOMETIMES OUR BRAINS FOOL

THEMSELVES ALL ON THEIR OWN.

THEY SAY TO ERR IS

HUMAN.

AND THEY'RE RIGHT.

WE'VE SEEN WHY CON MEN CAN SO

EASILY DECEIVE US.

YOU FOOLED ME.

YEAH?

AND HOW THE BRAIN

FILLS IN THE DETAILS WHEN WE

THINK WE'VE GRASPED THE BIG

PICTURE.

I FELT DUPED AND BETRAYED.

STILL DON'T BELIEVE

YOUR BRAIN JUST MAKES IT UP?

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS OPTICAL

ILLUSION.

WHAT COLOR ARE THIS GIRL'S EYES?

DO YOU PERCEIVE THEM

DIFFERENTLY?

THE EYE ON THE LEFT LOOKS BLUE,

AND THE EYE ON THE RIGHT LOOKS

GRAY, RIGHT?

THINK AGAIN.

THEY'RE BOTH GRAY.

THE REASON YOU PERCEIVE THE EYE

COLORS DIFFERENTLY IS BECAUSE

THE BRAIN CONSTRUCTS THE COLORS

WE SEE IN RELATIONSHIP TO EACH

OTHER.

THE RED TRANSPARENCY TRICKS THE

BRAIN INTO MAKING THE LEFT EYE

APPEAR BLUE WHEN IN REALITY,

IT'S GRAY.

BECAUSE OF SHORTCUTS LIKE THESE,

OUR BRAINS CAN DECEIVE US AND

MAKE US SUSCEPTIBLE TO DRAMATIC

MISTAKES.

IN FACT, ONE SHORTCUT OF THE

BRAIN ALLOWED COUNTLESS PEOPLE

TO SEE WHAT WASN'T THERE AND LED

TO AN INFAMOUS BIBLE BURNING IN

ENGLAND.

IT ALL STARTED IN THE 1600s.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND NEEDED

1,000 NEW COPIES OF THE KING

JAMES BIBLE.

IT WAS UP TO THE ROYAL PRINTERS

TO GET THESE COPIES OUT AND TO

MAKE SURE THE MORE THAN 770,000

WORDS WERE TYPESET CORRECTLY.

IT WAS A RELATIVELY BIG DEAL

THAT THE KING HIMSELF REQUESTED

THESE 1,000 BIBLES TO BE MADE.

THE ROYAL PRINTERS WOULD EMPLOY

MANY PEOPLE TO REVIEW EACH STEP

OF THE PROCESS, TO FACT-CHECK,

PARTICULARLY TO MAKE SURE THAT

THE SACRED TEXT CAME OUT

CORRECT.

AFTER FEVERISH

WORK, THE 1,000 COPIES MADE

THEIR WAY INTO CHURCHES ACROSS

ENGLAND.

DESPITE ALL THIS FOCUSED

ATTENTION, THERE WAS ONE GLARING

DETAIL THAT EVERYONE MISSED.

THE COMMANDMENT, "THOU SHALT NOT

COMMIT ADULTERY" WAS MISSING THE

"NOT."

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT NOW

READ, "THOU SHALT COMMIT

ADULTERY."

THE ROYAL PRINTERS

HAD MADE A BLASPHEMOUS ERROR.

AND THIS UNHOLY TEXT CAME TO BE

KNOWN AS THE WICKED BIBLE.

THE WICKED BIBLE WAS NOT

WICKED BY DESIGN.

THIS WAS ONE OF HISTORY'S

BIGGEST TYPOS.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ACTUALLY

WORRIED THAT IT RAN THE RISK OF

BLACKENING THE REPUTATION OF

CHRISTIANITY.

IS THE HUMAN BRAIN

STILL AS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE

BLUNDERS AS THE ROYAL PRINTERS

WERE 500 YEARS AGO?

TO FIND OUT, JEFF WISE HAS A

MESSAGE FOR YOU.

READ THIS SENTENCE OUT LOUD.

GO AHEAD.

DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT IT

SAYS?

NOW LET'S SEE WHAT OTHERS SAY.

READ THIS SIGN TO ME.

TELL ME WHAT IT SAYS.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

YES.

THAT'S A

NO-BRAINER, RIGHT?

BUT ARE YOU SURE?

I'M 100% SURE.

YES. I'M SURE. YES.

YEAH.

OKAY.

MOST PEOPLE READ "I LOVE PARIS

IN THE SPRINGTIME."

PROBLEM IS, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT

SAYS.

JUST TAKE IT REAL SLOW.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME.

OKAY.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A HINT.

OKAY.

IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T SAY THAT.

I'M TOTALLY CLUELESS.

REALLY?

YES.

NO ONE WHO READ

THIS MESSAGE GOT IT RIGHT, EVEN

AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS.

I... LOVE....

READ IT ALONG WITH ME.

I LOVE PARIS...

IN THE THE SPRINGTIME.

OH, WOW.

MY BRAIN DID NOT COMPUTE THAT.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON

THAT READ JEFF'S MESSAGE MISSED

THE SECOND "THE."

THE... OH, THE SPRINGTIME.

I LOVE PARIS IN THE THE

SPRINGTIME.

OH!

GOT IT.

OKAY.

OH!

YOU DIDN'T SEE THE MISTAKE.

WHY IS THIS MISTAKE

SO EASY TO MISS?

THE BRAIN RUNS ON A VERY

SMALL AMOUNT OF ENERGY, SO IT

HAS TO WORK QUICKLY AND

EFFICIENTLY.

WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO

DEAL WITH EVERY SINGLE THING IN

OUR SENSORY ENVIRONMENT.

WE DON'T NOTICE MOST OF WHAT'S

HAPPENING AROUND US.

AND THIS RESULTS IN A

PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON KNOWN

AS INATTENTIONAL BLINDNESS.

INATTENTIONAL

BLINDNESS OFTEN MAKES US MISS

UNEXPECTED ERRORS RIGHT IN FRONT

OF OUR EYES.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE

EXPECT TO SEE SOMETHING, THE

BRAIN TENDS TO BLOCK OUT

UNEXPECTED POSSIBILITIES.

WHEN PARTICIPANTS READ JEFF'S

SIGN, THEY RECOGNIZED "I LOVE

PARIS IN THE SPRINGTIME" AS A

WELL-KNOWN PHRASE.

THEY JUST ASSUMED THAT'S WHAT IT

SAID AND FAILED TO SEE THE

ERROR.

YOUR BRAIN LIED TO YOU.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENED?

MAYBE MY BRAIN IS DISHONEST.

THERE'S TOO MUCH INFORMATION

IN THE WORLD.

THE BRAIN CAN'T PROCESS

EVERYTHING.

SO THE BRAIN JUST GLIDES RIGHT

OVER IT.

OUR BRAINS PERCEIVE WHAT THEY

EXPECT TO PERCEIVE.

AND IN THE CASE OF

THE WICKED BIBLE, THE SEVENTH

COMMANDMENT SEEMED SO

FUNDAMENTAL THAT THE PRINTERS

SKIMMED RIGHT OVER IT EVEN

THOUGH THE UNEXPECTED MISTAKE

WAS OBVIOUS.

IT'S VERY RELEVANT, ACTUALLY,

THAT THE TYPO WAS IN ONE OF THE

MOST FAMILIAR PARTS OF THE BIBLE

BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE WERE

GOING TO READ THE TEN

COMMANDMENTS WITH THE LEVEL OF

SCRUTINY THAT ONE READS

SOMETHING WITH WHICH ONE IS NOT

FAMILIAR.

TO CORRECT THIS

EGREGIOUS ERROR, THE KING DID

WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN

UNTHINKABLE.

HE ORDERED THAT ALL OF THESE

BIBLES BE RECALLED.

AND HE VERY PUBLICLY BURNED

THEM.

BUT NOT ALL OF

THESE BIBLES MET SUCH A FIERY

FATE.

A FEW OF THE WICKED BIBLES

SURVIVE TODAY AND UNSURPRISINGLY

ARE HIGHLY, HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE.

RARE COPIES OF THE

WICKED BIBLE CAN FETCH UPWARDS

OF $90,000.

AND FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, THE

WICKED BIBLE DOES SHOW US HOW

EASY IT IS TO MAKE MIND-BOGGLING

MISTAKES.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS

THAT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO READ

YOUR RESUME 20 TIMES BEFORE YOU

SEND IT OUT.

HERE'S A TRICK THAT COPYEDITORS

SOMETIMES USE--LOOK AT IT

BACKWARDS.

READING EACH WORD IN REVERSE

ORDER WILL PREVENT YOUR BRAIN

FROM MAKING THE ASSUMPTION ABOUT

WHAT IT THINKS OUGHT TO COME

NEXT.

WE'VE SEEN HOW OUR

BRAINS CAN FALL VICTIM TO CON

MEN AND HOW SOMETIMES WE MISS

OBVIOUS ERRORS RIGHT IN FRONT OF

US.

BUT JUST HOW GULLIBLE ARE WE?

COULD OUR BRAINS MISTAKE A SHIP

FULL OF GRIZZLED SAILORS FOR A

GROUP OF LADIES ON A LEISURELY

CRUISE?

UP NEXT, FIND OUT HO

WE'VE SEEN HOW OUR

BRAINS DECEIVE US BY OVERLOOKING

UNEXPECTED BUT OBVIOUS ERRORS.

OH!

YOU DIDN'T SEE THE MISTAKE.

WHY ARE WE PRONE TO

MISSING SIMPLE THINGS THAT ARE

OUT OF PLACE?

YOUR BRAIN GIVES YOU THE

IMPRESSION THAT YOU REALLY ARE

AWARE OF ALL OF YOUR

SURROUNDINGS.

NOW IF THAT WAS THE CASE, IF YOU

REALLY WERE PROCESSING ALL OF

THE RICH VISUAL INFORMATION THAT

COMES IN VIA THE EYES, WELL,

YOU'D NEED A BRAIN THE SIZE OF

THE PLANET AND THAT WOULD BE

RIDICULOUS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, PEOPLE CAN

MISS WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT IN

FRONT OF THEIR EYES.

STILL THINK YOU'RE

TOO SMART TO OVERLOOK THE

OBVIOUS?

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE TWO LEANING

TOWERS OF PISA.

DO YOU NOTICE A DIFFERENCE?

THE ONE ON THE RIGHT LEANS MORE.

OR DOES IT?

THINK AGAIN.

THE TOWERS ARE ACTUALLY

IDENTICAL.

THE WAY OUR BRAIN INTERPRETS

WHAT IT SEES IS HOPELESSLY

FLAWED.

THAT IS WHY WE SEE SIMPLE

ILLUSIONS AND FALL FOR CRUDE

DISGUISES.

AND ONE HISTORICAL INCIDENT

SHOWS JUST HOW EFFECTIVE A CRUDE

DISGUISE CAN BE.

DURING WORLD WAR I, BRITISH

SAILORS FIGHTING AGAINST THE

GERMANS HATCHED A PLOT THAT

SEEMED TOO RIDICULOUS TO

ACTUALLY WORK.

IT'S WEIRD IN THE CONTEXT OF

THIS LIFE-AND-DEATH SCENARIO,

THERE'S THIS REALLY WACKY STORY

ABOUT CROSS-DRESSING.

THAT'S RIGHT,

CROSS-DRESSING.

BUT WHAT ROLE COULD DRESSING IN

DRAG HAVE POSSIBLY PLAYED IN

WORLD WAR I?

STRANGELY ENOUGH, THE STORY

BEGINS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF

THE GERMAN U-BOAT.

THE U-BOAT WAS A DEATH

MACHINE...

THEIR MOST ADVANCED SUBMARINE ON

THE MARKET AT THE TIME.

AT THE TIME, THE

BRITS HAD ONLY ONE EFFECTIVE WAY

TO ATTACK THEM.

U-BOATS WERE VULNERABLE WHEN

THEY SURFACED, BECAUSE THEN YOU

COULD ACTUALLY HIT THEM.

THEY WEREN'T HIDING UNDERNEATH

THE WATER LAUNCHING TORPEDOES

FROM SHADOWS.

THEY WERE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT

OF YOU.

BUT THE ONLY WAY TO

LURE A U-BOAT TO THE SURFACE WAS

TO APPEAR LIKE A HARMLESS

MERCHANT VESSEL AND NOT A

WARSHIP.

AND THEY DID THIS WITH WOMEN.

BUT WITH ONLY MEN ALLOWED ON

COMBAT SHIPS, HOW DO YOU GET

WOMEN ON BOARD?

FOR THE BRITISH, THIS WAS A

LIFE-OR-DEATH PROBLEM.

SO THE SOLDIERS HAD A CRAZY

IDEA--CROSS-DRESSING.

THIS WAS A CRAZY PLAN, BUT THEY

DID IT ANYWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE

THAT PERFECT COCKTAIL OF TOO

MUCH CRAZY AND TOO MUCH BALLS.

ON MARCH 15, 1917,

THE CREW ON BOARD ONE SHIP HAD

ITS BIG PREMIERE.

THIS WAS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

THIS CRAZY, STUPID, BADASS,

BRILLIANT PLAN, THIS WAS THE

TIME TO SEE IF IT WOULD ACTUALLY

WORK OUT.

THE BRITISH WENT ALL OUT.

THEY WERE CARRYING BABIES, THEY

WERE SNUGGLING UP AGAINST OTHER

MEN.

THESE MEN WERE CROSS-DRESSING

FOR THEIR LIVES.

AND JUST AS THE

BRITS HOPED, THE U-BOAT'S GUARD

WAS DOWN.

IT SURFACED.

THE INSANE TRAP HAD WORKED.

AND FOR THE BRITISH SAILORS

HIDING ON BOARD, THIS WAS THEIR

CHANCE TO ATTACK.

THEY FIRED EVERYTHING THEY

HAD AT IT.

AND IT WORKED.

THE U-BOAT RETREATED.

THIS LITTLE RINKY-DINK DECOY

SHIP FULL OF CROSS-DRESSERS

ATTACKED THIS U-BOAT

SUCCESSFULLY.

IT WAS MORE LIKE A

MONTY PYTHON SKETCH THAN A

BATTLE PLAN.

BUT HOW COULD THESE SIMPLE

THEATRICS ACTUALLY WORK?

CAN SUCH BASIC PLOYS REALLY FOOL

US?

PSYCHOLOGIST RICHARD WISEMAN

THINKS SO, AND HE'S GOING TO

TEST THAT THEORY ON YOU WITH HIS

MAGIC MIRROR.

WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IS

REMARKABLE.

THE NEXT SHOT IS CONTINUOUS.

THERE'S NO EDITING, NO SPECIAL

EFFECTS, AND PERHAPS MOST

IMPORTANT OF ALL, NO SMOKE AND

MIRRORS.

FOR CENTURIES, PEOPLE HAVE

BEEN FASCINATED BY THE CONCEPT

OF REFLECTION.

IN THE PAST, THEY'VE POURED

WATER INTO A GLASS, LOOK INSIDE,

AND BE AMAZED TO SEE THEIR OWN

IMAGE.

NOWADAYS WE USE SOMETHING A BIT

MORE SOPHISTICATED--A MIRROR.

WITH A MIRROR, REFLECTIONS ARE

COMPLETELY REVERSED.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVEN MORE

AMAZING GOING ON.

IF YOU TAKE AN OBJECT AND COVER

IT UP, EVEN THOUGH ITS

REFLECTION IS ALWAYS IN SIGHT,

YOU CAN MAKE THE OBJECT

COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE POWER

OF MIRRORS.

THE MAGNIFYING

GLASS HAS DISAPPEARED, BUT ITS

REFLECTION REMAINS.

DIDN'T QUITE CATCH HOW THAT'S

DONE?

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.

IF YOU TAKE AN OBJECT AND

COVER IT UP, EVEN THOUGH ITS

REFLECTION IS ALWAYS IN SIGHT,

YOU CAN MAKE THE OBJECT

COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE POWER

OF MIRRORS.

DIDN'T CATCH HOW

THAT HAPPENED?

HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET?

IN THIS ALTERNATE ANGLE, YOU CAN

SEE THIS ACTUALLY ISN'T A

MIRROR.

IT'S JUST A WALL WITH A HOLE IN

IT.

IN EVERYDAY LIFE, WE COME

ACROSS MIRRORS.

WE'RE USED TO REFLECTIONS.

WE'RE USED TO SEEING A WORLD

INVERTED INSIDE THE MIRROR.

THE MAGIC MIRROR WORKS BECAUSE

IT EXPLOITS THAT NOTION.

IF THIS TRICK

FOOLED YOU, IT'S BECAUSE YOU

ASSUMED IT WAS A MIRROR WHEN IT

WAS REALLY A PIECE OF GLASS.

MOST OF THE TIME, WE'RE

REALLY GOOD OBSERVING OUR

SURROUNDINGS, WORKING OUT

EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT IN ORDER TO BE THAT GOOD WE

ARE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS, AND

WE'RE NOT AWARE OF THOSE

ASSUMPTIONS.

BUT AS A PSYCHOLOGIST AND AS A

MAGICIAN, IF YOU UNDERSTAND

THEM, THEN YOU CAN EXPLOIT THOSE

ASSUMPTIONS.

YOU CAN START TO FOOL PEOPLE.

SIMILARLY, GERMANS

ON THE U-BOATS ASSUMED THAT

THESE WERE WOMEN ON BOARD AND

THAT THE SHIP WAS HARMLESS.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING UP AT A

SHIP AND YOU SEE A BUNCH OF

PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND SCREAMING,

TRIPPING OVER THEMSELVES,

FALLING OUT OF THE BOAT, YOU

DON'T THINK, OH, THAT'S A BUNCH

OF HIGHLY TRAINED NAVAL MEN.

YOU THINK, OH, THOSE ARE

CIVILIANS.

FOR THE GERMAN U-BOAT, IT WOULD

BE LUDICROUS TO THINK, HEY,

THAT'S A SAILOR IN DRAG.

THE BRITISH NAVY'S

CROSS-DRESSING DECEPTION WAS SO

SUCCESSFUL THEY CREATED AN

ENTIRE FLEET OF DECOY SHIPS.

WITH THE SAME TECHNIQUE, BRITISH

SAILORS LURED 70 U-BOATS TO THE

SURFACE...

AND THEY DESTROYED 14 OF THEM.

THIS WASN'T "MASTERPIECE

THEATER," BUT IT WAS JUST GOOD

ENOUGH TO FOOL THE GERMANS.

SO BEWARE OF MAKING

ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE,

BECAUSE ASSUMPTIONS MAKE IT ALL

TOO EASY FOR YOUR BRAIN TO

DECEIVE YOU.

OUR BRAIN MAKES US ASSUME

THAT THE DETAILS MATCH THE BIG

PICTURE.

AS SOON AS IT HAS A MINIMUM

AMOUNT OF INFORMATION, IT JUMPS

TO A CONCLUSION AS TO WHAT IT'S

SEEING AND ASSUMES THAT ALL THE

DETAILS MATCH.

WE'VE SEEN HOW

DECEPTION IS A GUIDING FORCE IN

THE WORLD.

FROM MINOR MENTAL MISSTEPS IN

OUR BRAINS, TO OUTRAGEOUS CONS

AND AMAZING ILLUSIONS, A LITTLE

DECEPTION HAS GONE A LONG WAY

TO SHAPING HISTORY.

SO HOW DID YOU DO?

WERE YOU DUPED BY THE

DISAPPEARING SKULL OR THE MAGIC

MIRROR?

DID YOU SEE PARIS IN THE

SPRINGTIME?

OR FALL FOR SENATOR HODAPP'S

DIRTY TRICKS?

IF SO, DON'T FEEL TOO BAD.

IT JUST MEANS YOU'RE HUMAN.

OH, WOW!

THE LESSON FROM ALL THIS IS--

DON'T TRUST WHAT YOUR BRAIN

TELLS YOU ALL THE TIME.

AS A HISTORIAN, I'M REALLY

AMAZED TO SEE HOW OFTEN

ILLUSIONS HAVE CHANGED HISTORY.

WE KNOW SOME OF THE TRICKS

OUR BRAINS PLAY ON US.

THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT MORE TO

DISCOVER.

FROM HISTORY'S

GREATEST HOAXES, TO DARING FEATS

OF WAR, THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS

YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF DECEIVED

BY YOUR BLEEP'D-UP BRAIN.