Magic bullet
Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAG : Magic bullet
The phrase "magic bullet" has several uses:
- The original "magic bullet" of German folklore, which was enchanted and could not miss its mark, made its debut into the wider European consciousness as a feature of Carl Maria von Weber's ghostly opera Der Freischütz, first performed in Berlin in 1821.
- The phrase is used disparagingly by conspiracy theorists to describe the single bullet theory of the John F. Kennedy assassination.
- Used to describe a bullet that disappears/vaporizes after hitting a target (for instance one made of ice or dry ice). It is subject to debate whether this is actually feasible.
- Paul Ehrlich used the phrase to describe his goal: a cure for syphilis which would attack the syphilis bacterium while having no effect whatsoever on human tissue. He also applied the term to the drug he developed, Salvarsan (arsphenamine). Salvarsan turned out to have significant deleterious side effects; however, the phrase "magic bullet" has become associated with Ehrlich, Salvarsan, and by extension any wished-for drug.
- The magic bullet of folklore is also featured in the manga Hellsing as the ammunition for Rip Van Winkle's gun.
- "Magic bullet principle" is another term for the hypodermic needle model, a theory in communication research which says all media audiences receive and process media messages in the same way.
- A food processing machine called the "Magic Bullet" is advertised in infomercials. [link]
- A post-production digital video enhancement and filmizing suite called "Magic Bullet" is sold by Red Giant Software. [link]
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