Even Muggles are getting excited about this weekend’s opening of the final film in the Harry Potter franchise. To join in the spirit, this week’s links shed some light on the intersection between modern technology and the wizarding world. It’s truly magical!
Need to make yourself scarce, hide that stain on the living room floor, or render someone else invisible? Harry’s invisibility cloak was one of a kind, but in our world similar designs are being developed and tested by scientists right now. This Good Morning America piece explains the science behind the cloaking devices.
It may not work as well as Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, but these electric wands do a pretty good job of extinguishing fire. This National Geographic Daily News story describes the wands, which could someday be used by firefighters.
Memory-wiping appears many times in the Potter world (and in dystopian fiction as well!), and scary as it sounds, scientists are making progress toward it. This Telegraph article, written by science columnist and The Science of Harry Potter author Roger Highfield, explains.