The technology and theoretical physics that get Santa around the world in a single night
2 HOW SANTA STAYS OUT OF SIGHT
Not only does Santa zip across continents at unfathomable speeds, he also does so without being seen. This means he’s probably using some kind of cloaking technology, such as a quantum stealth cloak. Created by HyperStealth Biotechnology, quantum stealth cloaks use a sheet packed with lenticular convex lenses, which curve outwards. When light hits the array of lenses, it bounces in countless different directions, creating a ‘dead spot’ behind the sheet. Objects behind the sheet are therefore hidden from view. Santa’s invisibility may also be the result of how his sleigh moves through the air. Due to the high speeds needed to travel the world in a single night, a phenomenon in physics called the Doppler effect may help conceal his sleigh. Much in the same way that the sound of a passing siren appears to increase in pitch when it heads towards you but decreases as it drives away, Santa’s high-speed travel compresses not only sound waves, but also light waves, keeping him hidden from view.
4 WHAT MAKES RUDOLF’S NOSE GLOW?
Rudolph has to be the brightest animal on Earth. With a glowing red nose to illuminate Santa’s path through the clouds, Rudolph must use a light-emitting chemical reaction called bioluminescence. In the same process that gives fireflies their brightly glowing abdomens, Rudolf may be using a light-producing chemical called luciferin in his nose. When luciferin encounters an enzyme called luciferase, as well as oxygen and an organic compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it releases photons of light. Among fireflies, the colour of this light is seen as green or yellow. However, for Rudolf, the light is likely passing through the myriad of blood vessels within his nose, making his glow appear red. Rudolph might not be producing his glow himself, and could be obtaining it secondhand from bioluminescent moss growing in the Arctic. Schistostega pennata, also known as goblin gold or luminous moss, doesn’t generate its own glow, but has specialised lens-shaped cells that reflect light, making it appear as though it does. Even the slightest source of light can make this moss glow.
5 ROOFTOP TAKEOFF
While Santa’s antimatter rocket sends him flying through the air in the blink of an eye, to first lift him, his nine reindeer and a multidimensional sack of gifts from rooftops, he needs a powerful takeoff system. And he might be using superconductive magnets to create magnetic levitation. For example, some high-speed trains around the world use magnetic levitation, referred to as maglev trains, for propulsion. When a material called a superconductor, such as niobiumtitanium alloy, is cooled to extreme temperatures, it begins to generate a powerful magnetic field. Normally, magnetic levitation requires supercon
