The science of Harry Potter : how magic really works
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Science of Harry Potter teases out the scientific explanations and surprising factual foundation of marvels and mysteries of dragons, broomsticks, and all the wonderful oddities of the enchanted world. Highfield uses the elements of the books as a springboard into discussions of fascinating scientific issues. He delves into the archaeology of witchcraft, tracing the origin and uses of wands and cauldrons as revealed at ancient European dig sites. The potions and charms that Harry has so much trouble replicating in Snape's class are in fact grounded in the science of ethnobotany. There is a plausible account of the cutting-edge physics that explains the invisibility cloak and the genetic engineering behind the creation of Fluffy the three-headed dog. As enlightening as it is delightful, The Science of Harry Potter sheds light not only on Harry Potter's magical realm, but also on the magic that is taking place in labs and science classrooms in our own "muggle" world.