Recently Melissa and I had two rare days off from our business, so we took a road trip to Moncton, New Brunswick. Although I have been through Moncton a number of times, I never visited the so-called Magnetic Hill and nearby zoo.
Magnetic Hill is an optical illusion caused by a unique geometry that tricks the human brain. Here is how it works: you go to the bottom of the hill, place your vehicle in neutral, release the brakes and it apparently moves uphill. The brain is fooled whether you are inside the vehicle or standing at the “top” of the hill. In fact the vehicle is actually rolling downhill, it is not defying gravity. Watch this video to see the effect.
This is the true geometry of a “magnetic hill”. The brain is fooled into thinking that slope M is rising from observation point L.
There is a municipal zoo located nearby and Melissa and I walked the full 2 kms. As far as zoos go, this is a bit lackluster and I always struggle when seeing animals live out their lives in cages. The birds fare a bit better as they are living their lives outside. You’ll notice one image with a disable tortoise who has a nice prosthetic so it can move about.
