After months of anticipation and countdowns, I finally got to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Did it leave out a lot from the book? 
Yes (they didn’t even include the end battle scene between Harry and Professor Snape!). But even so, I’m so happy the movie is finally out.
Throughout the movie, I took note on the minor details. One of which is the five-second scene with the Sorting Hat.
In the very first book of Harry Potter, the Sorting Hat was introduced as the hat that assigns first-year pupils into their houses; it does this by 
analyzing the person’s mind and personality just by being placed on top of the person’s head (ex: the brave were assigned to Gryffindor, the loyal to Ravenclaw, etc…).
What’s really cool is that scientists have actually created something vaguely similar, the Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). This device, when placed on someone’s head, can detect tiny magnetic fields created by electric currents jumping between brain cells, this way, SQUID can read the thoughts of people. However, scientists are currently receiving very limited progress and success in making this device work. Nevertheless, if SQUID is ever a success, I’m sure it’ll be an awesome alternative for lie detectors.
Another scene I paid special attention to was the Quidditch match. Of 
course in Quidditch, the most important tool is the broom. Today, many scientists speculate that it is possible to replicate brooms and lift objects in the air through the use of magnetic levitation. However, the problem with such intense magnetism is diamagnetism, which may cause, if people were to truly begin to ride on brooms, the bones to be held up by the flesh.
So far, we Muggles have a long way to go in order to catch up with the Sorting Hat and flying broomsticks. But perhaps one day we’ll be able to build something that may match those of the wizardly world.
Links:
http://www.simonsingh.net/The_Science_of_Harry_Potter.html
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/diamag.htm
http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep25/articles17.htmictionary.com/
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBASE/Solids/maglev.html
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2005-07-07-harry-potter-science_x.htm