The Magic Math Trick That Fools Everyone

In this episode of "The Rest Is Science: Field Notes," Hannah and Michael discuss a magic trick involving wooden swords and binary code, which leads to a broader conversation about binary numbers and their applications. They explore error-correcting codes, QR codes, and the importance of data security. Later, they answer a listener question about which planet they would live on besides Earth, delving into topics like gravity, terraforming, and extreme environments. The discussion shifts to cancer research, highlighting new discoveries about "dark carcinogens" and the promoter hypothesis, before concluding with an explanation of how scientists determine the age of water on Earth using isotopes and noble gases.