Episode #576: How Are Spells Created? Discussing the Physics of Harry Potter

/ Eric

On this week’s episode, the subject of many a late night with Laura and her boyfriend is made into a main discussion for MuggleCast as the hosts and Marc talk through the physics of Harry Potter! Surely magical objects don’t come from ‘nowhere,’ and there must be a magical cost for doing magic somehow? Those big questions and more are our target as Andrew, Eric, Laura, Micah and Marc put on their thinking caps and dive in!

  • Welcome to this week’s special guest, Laura’s boyfriend Marc!
  • Marc is a game designer with a passion for physics.
  • A new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy has debuted, and we now know what all versions of the game will cost us. You might need to break into Gringotts to be able to afford the Collectors Edition!?
  • Main Discussion: The physics of Harry Potter
  • Just what is ‘physics’ and what answers does the study of physics seek to find?
  • In the Wizarding World, is there a cost for doing magic? What kind of magic seems limitless, and what kind does not?
  • Where does magical ability come from and how does it work?
  • Are new magical spells created, or discovered?
  • Next the MuggleCasters ask: where does the food come from, and where does your sh** go?
  • What do our known laws (such as conservation of mass) have in common with Gamp’s known laws of Elemental Transfiguration? We go point by point.
  • Does the Vanishing Charm break down an object’s atoms, or teleport it to a different dimension?
  • In this week’s Bonus MuggleCast available exclusively to Patrons, the hosts examine the physics of some magical objects including Invisibility Cloaks, Time Turners and Dumbledore’s Deluminator.
  • Quizzitch: In Year 4, What does Ron smush in anger after Draco taunts him about having inside-Ministry information regarding the TriWizard Tournament?
  • Next week’s episode: The hosts are building their own Hogwarts lesson! Come prepared for lectures and a pop quiz!
  • This week’s episode is brought to you by Backbone! Go to PlayBackbone.com/mugglecast NOW to order your Backbone. For a limited time, and get FREE access to over 350 console games and perks.

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