How to Control Your Roll

In Las Vegas, Atlantic City and on Indian Reservations, people throw dice and take their chances. Researchers have spotted something predictable in the seemingly random throw of the dice. By applying chaos theory and some high school level mechanics, they determined that by knowing the initial conditions–such as the viscosity of the air, the acceleration of gravity, and the friction of the table–it should be possible to predict the outcome when rolling the dice.

While it’s doubtful that a gambler will be able to take these types of measurements around the dice table before starting to play, it’s still interesting information.

Researcher Marcin Kapitaniak says, "Theoretically the die throw is predictable, but the accuracy required for determining the initial position is so high that practically it approximates a random process. Only a good magician can throw the die in the way to obtain the desired result. When the die bounces on the table, it is more difficult to predict the result than in the case of a die landing on the soft surface." So play on a padded table!

In Whitley’s new novel, The Secret of Orenda, a group of jaded Native Americans, who’ve gotten wealthy from building casinos, discover a hidden tribe that still possesses all the magic of their past.

And speaking of Indian magic, subscribers, be sure not to miss Anne Strieber’s interviews with Susan and Christina, who both learned that their local tribes know all about the Visitors.