The Science of Harry Potter by Roger Highfield

If you're a fan of Harry Potter, this look at Muggle "magick," known as science, may well be worth the read. It is enjoyable, though ultimately not incredibly world-shattering, as is the case with most books written in this vein. Still, a wide range of scientific topics are covered in an intriguing manner, and it could especially prove appropriate as a means for introducing a Harry Potter-crazed young person to the wonders that exist in our own world, without having to take a trip to Hogwarts.

In The Science of Harry Potter, Roger Highfield exposes the magic of the Muggle scientific world. From the anti-gravity necessary for flying brooms to invisibility cloaks to the ancient secrets of alchemy, he explores how aspects of the Harry Potter books are explored, and often realized, in scientific research.

He begins the book with an exploration of various means of flight, from regular aeronautics (lift & drag) to anti-gravity and dark energy. He also explores alchemy at some length, as well as its relation to modern chemistry.

Much of the book is biology, such as means that various societies have used to get "high" without a broom, genetic mutations and various species related to creatures found in Harry Potter (both in myth and the real world), how the brain works, a fairly large discourse on various owl species, and the history of dragons.

A fair spattering of mathematics also comes across in the book, as he uses game theory to support the House structure utilized by Hogwarts to promote competition and keep students focused on their studies.

Perhaps one of the intriguing aspects of the book is that much of it, especially in the second half, is devoted to historical and sociological analyses of magic and magical societies. Highfield explores the origins of witchcraft, and how a belief in the supernatural seems ingrained in us.

Another fun aspect to the book is the "Glossary of Muggle Science, Potter Magic, Oddments and Tweaks" which fill the last several pages before the appendix. Here we find explanations of various concepts and how they relate between the Muggle Science and Potter Magic, such as what chemical Malfoy's "Densaugeo" spell would need to trigger in order to cause Hermione's teeth to grow at such an accelerated rate.