How Santa gets round the world in just one night
December 24th, 2009 - 6:02 pm ICT by ANILondon, December 24 (ANI): Ever wondered how Santa Claus manages to take one full circle of the world in just one night? Well, a researcher feels that it can only be possible if Santa has mastered theories of astrophysics.
Professor John Brown, tenth Astronomer Royal for Scotland, believes only quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity, which distorts space time boundary, can explain Father Christmas delivering gifts to all the good girls and boys in just one night.
Also, Brown, who leads a research group in theory and modelling of solar and stellar plasmas, mentioned that worm holes could provide a useful short-cut as he goes on his rounds.
“Time travel is discussed in scientific circles and it seems that there are effects in relativity, quantum physics and black hole gravitation theory which may make it possible,” Scotsman quoted him as saying
He added: “The theory of relativity and quantum mechanics both have curious implications and definitely distort space and time.
“Relativity says that length is relative, so in terms of asking how Santa covers Earth in a night, the answer may be that if he could travel near the speed of light he could achieve this, though he would need a huge source of energy - almost all the energy everyone uses on the planet in a year.
“Another quantum mechanical idea - quantum teleportation - might involve deconstructing Santa’s team and beaming their parts faster than light, to be reconstructed in the next chimney, and so on.
“Finally, if Santa carried a black hole, that might help. If you could squash his team small enough, super light speed travel to elsewhere through a black hole worm hole and reassemble them there, he could teleport our Christmas presents around very fast.
“The trouble with this idea is that we’re quite big things, and to pass us through a worm hole is not easy. Such a trip is likely to, using the technical term, ’spaghettify’ us.”
Referring to Santa’s reindeer Rudolph, he concluded: “While I’m still a bit sceptical, I keep an open mind and wouldn’t say 100 per cent ‘No’ to such time travel being Rudolph’s secret.” (ANI)
- 'Beam me up Scotty' comes closer to reality with teleportation breakthrough - Apr 16, 2011
- Scientists perform 9.9 miles teleportation feat - Jun 08, 2010
- Rudolph the red nosed reindeer is actually a female - Nov 03, 2009
- "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" Live On Stage - Dec 02, 2010
- How 'Rudolf' became the 'Red-Nosed Reindeer' - Dec 22, 2010
- Event horizon could help determine evolutionary stage of a black hole - Jan 19, 2011
- Lidl grocery retailer selling reindeer meat - Nov 15, 2010
- Mini black holes could be passing through Earth - May 15, 2011
- Radio telescopes to try taking first photo of black hole - Jan 16, 2012
- Christmas gift for Obama from Shillong choir (With Image) - Dec 20, 2010
- In exotic Santa land, for that adrenaline rush and peace (Travel Feature with Images) - Aug 19, 2012
- Scientists say that Supermassive black hole will 'eat' gas cloud - Dec 15, 2011
- Is space just like a chessboard? - Mar 19, 2011
- Fenton gets festive in viral makeover - Dec 16, 2011
- How merging black holes go on a rampage of star-eating - Apr 11, 2011
Tags: astronomer royal, astrophysics, black hole, father christmas, girls and boys, good girls, gravitation theory, light speed travel, plasmas, professor john, quantum mechanics, quantum physics, quantum teleportation, source of energy, space and time, speed of light, theory of relativity, time relativity, worm hole, worm holes