Question from Yasmin: Isn't it a scientific amazement that Santa Claus has so many look-a-likes at once! Do you think it's a genetic thing?
Roger Highfield: That's a very interesting question. It either means that Santa is rapidly teleporting from one location to another or, as you suggest, he has resorted to cloning to generate the necessary manpower to deliver all those presents.
Question from Matron Claus: About decorating trees at Christmas - any reason why and when this started off?
Roger Highfield: It's a ritual that's thought to go back to when Martin Luther supposedly bedecked a tree with candles to remind children of the heaven from which Christ descended. In fact, the pre-dressing ritual was practiced in pagan times from Russia to India.
Question from Manatee: What will Christmas be like in 10 years time?
Roger Highfield: I think we'll be having virtual reality family reunions so we can switch off the mother-in-law when she gets too annoying! We may also be able to use a fax to send each other presents over the telephone. We could perhaps rely on atmospheric engineering to guarantee that each Christmas is white.
Question from Bing Crosby: What could we do to guarantee a white Christmas every year?
Roger Highfield: I live in London, and to ensure a white Christmas, all it takes is a few easy steps. Build a mountain range in Ireland. That will enable cold air to sweep in from the continent, to chill the whole country. Then on Christmas Eve, I would get the army to blow up the mountain range. That will allow warm moist westerly winds to sweep in from the Atlantic. Moist air will be pushed up over the wedge of cold air and the result will be snow.
Question from Claire: It would be good to be able to mind-read what people want for Christmas? Is it possible?
Roger Highfield: There's already technology which may be able to do this.
Question from Matthew Jones: How fast would Santa have to go to deliver his presents at midnight in every country?
Roger Highfield: I estimate that Santa has to deliver presents to 842 million households and cover a total distance of 221 billion miles which means that his sleigh is moving at an average of 1300 miles per second.
Question from Jess: Roger, can reindeer really fly?
Roger Highfield: There are many different theories that explain flying reindeer. One says that the reindeer are kitted out with warp-drive jet packs. Another theory says that they're genetically modified and sprout wings. Another theory says that their antlers are aerodynamically designed to generate lift because they generate what is called a leading edge vortex.
Question from Joe: Why does Rudolph have a red nose?
Roger Highfield: One line of thought is that Rudolph has consumed all those glasses of sherry left out. Another line of thought is that it's due to the friction from the atmosphere as Rudolph zooms everywhere but my favourite theory, which comes from a zoologist in Moscow, is that Rudolph was suffering a chronic parasitic infection of his nose.
Question from Russell: How can Santa eat ALL the food people leave out for him - he must get very full?
Roger Highfield: In the book, I put forward an alternative explanation for Santa's fat stomach which is that he has a genetic defect which means that his brain is unaware of how much fat is deposited in his body. This has the unfortunate consequence that Santa is probably a diabetic.
BBC Host: Here's Roger with a final word.
Roger Highfield: I was very impressed by the number and the range and intelligence of the questions. I'm really looking forward to my next one ;-)
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