Show Notes
Dr Natalie Plank, MacDiarmid Institute Principal Investigator and Senior Lecturer in Physics at Victoria University of Wellington investigates the power of the magic wand and we learn some great tricks to try at home. Michel de Nostradame (1503-66) and Catherine de Medici (1519-89), wife of Henry II (1519-59) King of France. 1559 (pen & ink and wash on paper) by French School, (16th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France; Magic Wands have been used in storytelling for hundreds for years. From the traditional 18th Century Ballad, Allison Gross, CS Lewis' 1950 novel, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, to more recently in Disney's Fantasia and, of course, the Harry Potter franchise. Dr Natalie Plank, MacDiarmid Institute Principal Investigator and Senior Lecturer in Physics at Victoria University of Wellington investigates the power of the magic wand and we learn some great tricks to try at home. With your ruler or any other rod or thing that you can find, put some charges on it with your jumper and then run your tap at home and then if you put the rod close to the tap, have a look at what happens to the water - how that moves - and that can tell you a little bit about what's going on there. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
More from Sci Fi / Sci Fact
Claims that a tinfoil hat will protect the wearer from electromagnetic fields and mind control have been around for many years but do they actually work? Justin Hodgkiss joins Bryan Crump to answer that question. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Kryptonite is a green crystal-like material found on Superman's home planet - Krypton. The radiation from the rock weakens Superman. Professor Bill Williams tells us if there are any real life equivalents to Kryptonite. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Scarlett Johansson's character in Black Widow has to fight pheromones in order to beat the evil villain. Anindita Sen explains how pheromones work and whether they could control humans. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
MacGyver was an 80s icon, with his mullet and ability to turn anything into a tool to save the day. Karen Thorn looks at one episode where the action hero turns some historical artifacts into a laser. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
The Philosopher's Stone in the Harry Potter books can change metal into gold and create an elixir of life. Erin Leitao tells Bryan Crump whether either ability is within our reach. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details