DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Hundreds of Decatur students made their way to the Civic Center to learn how science makes magic happen. From teleportation to levitation to invisibility, several "magical acts" were made possible through science. 

"Impossible science has taken the national science standards and turned them into magic tricks to get kids excited about asking questions about how things work," said Impossible Science Creator Jason Latimer. "I spent my entire life studying applied science and being a magician. So now I have combined my two passions to get kids to get amazed by what is possible if you ask more questions." 

As students travelled to 25 different experiment areas, they talked with volunteers about the ins and outs of each station. They learned how each work of magic was actually connected to a STEM concept. 

For example, at the mind reading station, the students discovered that the volunteer was simply using math to determine what they would answer. At the invisibility station, they learned that a panel was refracting light and making their friends "disappear." 

"What I love is they're asking questions like, 'How did that happen? Why is that working that way?'" said Jill Reedy, regional superintendent of schools for Macon/Piatt Regional Office of Education. "And they're thinking and they're talking and I'm hearing mathematical and science concepts that they're discussing and trying to figure out the why behind what's going on." 

In total, over 2,500 kids from 11 different school districts participated in the Impossible Science Experience. But the learning doesn't stop at the event. 

Impossible Science offers video lessons and tutorials on creating illusions on its website. Students were encouraged to share what they learned with other students. 

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