Magical Acts, Hypercubes and Pi is a collection of short essays on a variety of science, medical and mathematical topics that Science Writer Beverly Orndorff wrote during his nearly 40-year tenure with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The topics range from luck, chance and coincidence to some still deep mysteries of life and the universe. They include discussions of the fourth dimension, pi and such quirky, topics as why toast falls jelly side down on the floor. Also discussed are such tidbits as how Mozart once heard a starling whistle part of a composition he just finished, and how researchers found that moon rocks share certain characteristics with cheese.