Ever wondered how magical abilities are passed down in the Harry Potter world? Andrea Klenotiz, a biology student at the University of Delaware, did. The simplistic textbook examples of Mendelian inheritance don’t work, but in a 6-page paper, Klenotiz explains how non-Mendelian genetics can answer such questions as:

• How can a wizard be born to muggle parents?
• How can a squib be born to wizard parents?
• How can varying degrees of magical ability be explained?

Check out the article at Mother Nature Network, which includes links to the full article by Klenotiz.