Einstein had the answer - huge speed that Father Christmas travels at means he shrinks in size and is invisible to the human eye

Dr Katy Sheen, from Exeter College, calculated that Santa and his reindeer must journey at about 10 million kilometres per hour

Squeezing down slender chimneys, shifting round with out being seen or heard, and delivering presents to 700million kids in a single night time – all of it sounds not possible.

So how does Father Christmas do it? One physicist believes she has a solution – and Einstein is the important thing.

Dr Katy Sheen, from Exeter College, calculated that Santa and his reindeer must journey at about 10 million kilometres per hour to ship presents to each little one anticipated to rejoice Christmas in 31 hours, bearing in mind completely different time zones.

And in keeping with Einstein's concept of particular relativity, objects travelling at excessive pace develop into compressed in measurement. This implies Father Christmas would shrink, permitting him to suit his bulging stomach and his enormous sack of presents down chimneys, Dr Sheen mentioned.

He's additionally in a position to transfer round unseen as a result of gentle waves get squashed at excessive speeds. Which means Santa – shifting greater than 200,000 instances quicker than Usain Bolt, the world's quickest man – would change from pink to inexperienced, showing as a rainbow-coloured blur. At his prime pace, he would develop into invisible to the human eye.

Dr Katy Sheen, from Exeter College, explains that Einstein's concept of relativity may very well be used to clarify Santa Claus's journey to the house of each little one on Christmas Eve 

Einstein's concept might additionally clarify why Father Christmas seems to not have aged – as a result of relativity means time slows when an object strikes at excessive speeds.

Dr Sheen got here up with the reason after she wrote a letter to Father Christmas when she was seven asking why he by no means bought older. She obtained a response saying it was 'all magic'. However the budding scientist needed a extra rational clarification – and has provided one herself 26 years later.

In addition to offering a helpful reply for folks whose kids ask them about Santa, Dr Sheen hopes her concept will encourage children to take an curiosity in physics.

Based on Einstein's concept (E=MC2), pictured right here, objects travelling at excessive pace develop into compressed in measurement

The scientist, who calculated how briskly Father Christmas must journey by understanding the variety of households prone to rejoice Christmas around the globe and the variety of kids prone to be in them, will current her concept to kids on the Science of Christmas Pageant in Exeter.

She mentioned: 'How does Santa handle to succeed in these phenomenal speeds? Properly that's magic! Nonetheless, he would definitely want a number of gas – so don't neglect his glass of sherry, a mince pie or two and a few carrots for the reindeer!'

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