Ain’t science grand? It gave us antibiotics and penicillin, the law of universal gravitation, the theory of special relativity and the Big Bang, and it even explains why east coast NFL teams do poorly in night games (hint: it’s due to circadian rhythms).
Just in time for Christmas, I bring you scientists explaining “the magic” of Santa Claus! Don’t “bah, humbug” me or get your tinsel in a tangle. Steve Pointing and Allan Blackman, at the Auckland University of Technology, use actual science to demystify the jolly one’s mysterious nocturnal behaviour.
This year, be prepared when your children, or nieces and nephews, or the kids who live next door, ask you if Santa is real. Of course he is! Professors Pointing and Blackman explain exactly how he does what he does. Now, keep in mind, the math will be out of whack since the global population has grown since this video was produced in 2014, but the explanations for Santa’s ability to travel so quickly, hide his sleigh from detection and squeeze down chimneys are based on real science.
To understand why Rudolph’s nose glows, they turn to bioluminescence. Certainly, that is a preoccupation for the younger set. You adults may be curious about how male deer shed and regrow their entire antlers every year. (Plus this is the section that relates to regenerative medicine, or RM, so please read Samantha Payne’s inaugural blog on Signals.)
Remember that Christmas comes but once a year and don’t be a Grinch. Settle in for some learning or, even better, consider a viewing party with the young’uns, since this is screen time that you should encourage. Older kids, especially those into math, may enjoy reading The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas!
Stacey Johnson
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