24 Dec 2021

Santa Claus

From Sci Fi / Sci Fact, 5:00 am on 24 December 2021

On December 24, every year, Santa Claus piles his sleigh up with presents, he hitches Rudolph and his other reindeer up and heads off to deliver those gifts to every child in the world.

How?

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Cute little children with xmas presents. Santa Claus flying in his sleigh against moon sky. Kids enjoying the holiday with gifts on dark background.

 How does Santa do it?  Photo: www.123rf.com/profile_choreograph/

Follow Sci Fi / Sci Fact on Apple PodcastsSpotifyiHeart RadioGoogle PodcastsStitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts 

Jan Eldridge in star-patterned dress in front of image of galaxies

JJ Eldridge Photo: University of Auckland

JJ Eldridge, Associate Professor in Physics at the Faculty of Science, University of Auckland said if she was Santa, she would start with cloaking technology, which would explain why no one ever sees Santa dropping off the presents, and there is already a bit of this tech in development.

The ability to cover the whole world in one night gets trickier, but JJ said it is not outside the realms of possibility.

"One of the most difficult things about physics is you have to kind of throw out everything you understand from your own eyes and ears about how the world works," she said, "Because when we go down to the very small level, the quantum mechanics level, things get a bit strange."

 

Get the RNZ app

for easy access to all your favourite programmes

Subscribe to Sci Fi / Sci Fact

Podcast (MP3) Oggcast (Vorbis)