University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 5, No. 1/1995 Modern-day Merlin's magic both fun and educational He's prone to hammering nails with frozen bananas, trying to set money on fire and exploding things. It's all part of the glowing, disappearing and color-changing magic that can be found in the bag of chemical tricks belonging to George W. Luther III, professor of marine studies. A modern-day Merlin, Luther produces an annual chemical magic show each fall at Coast Day, the College of Marine Studies' annual celebration of marine life with plenty of food, fun and family activities. The magic show has become so popular that, this year, it was moved from the Virden Center on the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes to Cape Henlopen High School there to accommodate the crowd. "It's a nice way to get people to understand a little about chemistry," the modest wizard says, "a way, for example, to let those of us who enjoy fireflies know that their light is really a chemoluminescence reaction that can be re-created on stage." Luther's career as a chemical wizard began almost 30 years ago when he was an undergraduate at LaSalle University. He went on to receive his doctorate in physical and inorganic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and to perform countless chemical magic shows, which have rarely been the same twice. "I try to add something new to the show each time," he says. Luther concedes that education is his ulterior motive as a chemical magician. "I want to show that chemistry is fun," he says. "Chemicals can undergo changes that are both educational and entertaining. People, kids from ages 1 to 92, really enjoy trying to explain what's happening." Many of Luther's tricks demonstrate basic physical and chemical properties of matter. Others allow audiences to witness unusual chemical reactions. And, he points out, not only are the reactions interesting in themselves, they can sometimes be used to illuminate marine phenomena. "One of my tricks, where a solution of one color develops into two different colored liquids, is a good representation of what happens to water in the Chesapeake Bay during the summer season," he says. Luther's research at UD's College of Marine Studies involves marine chemistry, specifically how metals and sulfur compounds cycle in the environment and how minerals are formed and dissolved. -Beth Chajes/Beth Thomas