Table of Contents

Contents

Part I

Introduction: The Science of Magic

1. Broomsticks, Time Travel and Splinching
2. How to Play Quidditch without Leaving the Ground
3. The Invisibility Cloak, Sorting Hat, and Other Spellbinding Apparel 4. The Mathematics of Evil
5. Owls, Snails and Skrewts
6. Magizoology
7. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor beans

Part II

Foreword

8. Stars, Mystic Chickens and Superstitious Pigeons
9. The Greatest Wizard
10. There be Dragons. Really.
11. The Potions Master
12. The Origins of Witchcraft
13. The Quest for the Philosopher's Stone
14. Belief, Superstition and Magic
15. The Magic of Science

Glossary of Muggle Science, Potter Magic, Oddments snd Tweaks

References

About the Author

Roger Highfield was born in Wales, raised in north London and became the first person to bounce a neutron off a soap bubble. He was the science editor of The Daily Telegraph for two decades and the editor of New Scientist between 2008 and 2011. Today, he is the Director of External Affairs at the Science Museum Group. A regular broadcaster on the BBC and the winner of several journalism awards, Highfield is the author of The Physics of Christmas and coauthor of such highly acclaimed books as The Arrow of Time and The Private Lives of Albert Einstein.

Reviews

“Animated by Highfield's enthusiasm for the extraordinary, The Science of Harry Potter is an enjoyably indirect survey of modern science.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Far-ranging . . . Enlightens Harry Potter's magical realm, but also the magic taking place in labs and classrooms in our own world.”
—Science News 

“He has interviewed the world's best Muggle scientists to identify the explanations behind everything from the Mirror of Erised to the Invisibility Cloak . . . A great introduction to a whole variety of issues.”
—Simon Singh, The Observer

“A wonderful hook for a wonderful book . . . as one reads The Science of Harry Potter it is impossible not to become intrigued.”
—Orlando Sentinel 

"Animated by Highfield's enthusiasm for the extraordinary, The Science of Harry Potter is an enjoyably indirect survey of modern science."
-The New York Times Book Review

"Far-ranging . . . Enlightens Harry Potter's magical realm, but also the magic taking place in labs and classrooms in our own world."
-Science News

"He has interviewed the world's best Muggle scientists to identify the explanations behind everything from the Mirror of Erised to the Invisibility Cloak . . . A great introduction to a whole variety of issues."
-Simon Singh, The Observer

"A wonderful hook for a wonderful book . . . as one reads The Science of Harry Potter it is impossible not to become intrigued."
-Orlando Sentinel