The possibility of relativity can explain how Santa and his reindeer can fit down lamp chimney and not be experience or heard while spanning the world in a individual night , according to a physicist . She has acknowledged some muddle in her work , but that just leaves more room for future scientists to cypher out the rest .
Some scientist have recently argued that lie to children about the source of their nowadays can havenegative psychological essence , but others prefer to embrace myth as a eruditeness chance . Every year at this time scientists attempt to explain aspects of the Father Christmas account using actual science . Despite always finding parts of the story beyond even the most optimistic explanation , the efforts do render an opportunity to uncover some of the magic of science .
This year , Dr Katy Sheenof the University of Exeter has determine that many of the more curious components of the myth make sense when you take special relativity into account . Sheen presented her estimate at anevent for childrenheld by the university this week .
" Visiting around 700 million children in 31 minute would mean he would have to travel at 10 million kilometers ( 6 million miles ) an hour if he is to deliver presents to every child , " she explain in astatement . Delays to consume sherry , mince pies and Daucus carota sativa would increase this speed further .
At this significant portion of the speed of lightheaded , special relativity would come into frolic . One consequence is that all the gang – reindeer and passenger alike – would flinch in the direction in which they are traveling .
Sheen notice that such shoplifting would be very helpful for squeezing down chimneys , or in fact any other uncertain entrances now that chimneys are no longer standard issue in theater .
Relativistic speeds would also make the present - abide crew look bluish as they approach and crimson as they recede , and the vividness muddiness might explain why there have been no confirmed sighting . " Ho Ho Hos " would be Doppler shifted beyond the range of human hearing , although Sheen skipped over why sonic boom from break down the sound barrier are not a regular feature of speech of Christmas Eve .
approach the pep pill of light would also increase the pile of the reindeer and their core , and Sheen admits there were some thing she ca n’t excuse . " How does Santa manage to make these phenomenal speeds ? Well , that ’s magic ! ” shesaid . Or perhaps , as Arthur C. Clarke would put it , sufficiently advanced technology .
Last year an exploit in a similar vein explain that the news report of Rudolph ’s red nozzle makesmuch more sensein light of what we have recently learned about how reindeer vision adapts to exchange seasonal conditions .
