I’m a muggle, but I can of course see the appeal of attending a school of witchcraft and wizardry like Harry Potter‘s Hogwarts. The wands, the spells, the butterbeer, the constant threat of death…it all just seems so magical. But to get to Hogwarts I’d first have to cross through a very peculiar platform at King’s Cross station in London. So what are they chances I could pass through platform 9 and 3/4 without magic?
In my latest episode of Because Science, we’re breaking down the physics of phasing through walls, as it appears wizards and witches do. Phasing through solid objects is the realm of quantum mechanics, as we know, and according to the equations of quantum mechanics, a human-sized object has a non-zero chance of randomly passing through a wall just like platform 9 & 3/4.
However, because tunneling through barriers is typically only seen with particles many trillions of times less massive than us, your chances are quite…low. So low in fact that I can’t truly show you. Intrigued? Watch my latest episode above!
After you watch the new episode, check out my last video on why you don’t want super strength, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, hat, or collectible pin, and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on Instagram. Want Because Science days before anyone else? Subscribe to Alpha for early access to the show and peep my premium show The S.P.A.A.C.E. Program!
Catch up on the latest Because Science!
- How does Black Panther’s vibranium suit work?
- What toxin is on Poison Ivy’s lips?
- Why you don’t want super strength
