The question du jour of course is: How Does Santa get down the chimney? After all, mere mortals fail spectacularly. Take this example I found this week.

An alleged burglar, Jesse Berube, thought it would be a good idea to break into a business premise in Citrus Heights near Sacramento in California by going down the chimney. Inevitably, he got stuck and had to call the emergency services to rescue. Also inevitably, he had his collar felt.

Well, according to Dr George Knee, a theoretical physicist from the University of Warwick – I assume he works on theoretical Physics rather than being, theoretically, a physicist but you never know – it is all down to Quantum Physics. Atoms in the body, according to quantum physical theory, have an uncertain position and can move around as though they were a liquid. This means that in theory Santa Claus can change his body shape to negotiate any space that may confront him. The barriers that exist in classical physics do not exist in the world of quantum physics which deals with atoms, molecules and photons, Knee helpfully added.

Does this make any sort of sense? Anyway, let’s see if he can pull off the trick again this year.

To all my readers, season’s greetings.

Filed under: Humour, News, Science Tagged: alleged burglar stuck down chimney, Dr George Knee, how does Santa get down chimney, Jesse berube, quantum physics