Hey there! I’m Julián from MinuteEarth. Today, we’re diving into the world of dragons. Now, dragons might not be real, but if they were, they’d have to follow the same rules of biology and physics that everything else on Earth does. So, let’s have some fun and figure out which famous fantasy dragon could actually exist!
First up, let’s talk about fire-breathing. Dragons are famous for this, but in nature, the closest thing we have is the bombardier beetle. This little insect sprays boiling hot liquid to scare off predators, but it’s not quite the same as breathing fire. So, let’s move on to something else: limbs.
Many Western dragons, like the one on the Welsh flag, have four legs and two wings, totaling six limbs. However, all bony animals on Earth, including a hypothetical dragon, evolved from a four-limbed fish. This makes it unlikely for a six-limbed dragon to evolve here. That’s why some creators use bats, birds, and pterosaurs as models for their four-limbed dragons.
Dragons with six limbs, like Smaug from the first Hobbit movie, don’t make the cut. But the Smaug from the second movie does, because the filmmakers removed his front legs, making him more believable. A dragon with four legs and no wings would just be a lizard without magical flight.
For a dragon to fly, it needs wings and big chest muscles to flap them. These muscles attach to a special ridge on the sternum called a “keel.” Without a keel, a dragon couldn’t fly fast enough to lift its heavy body. But having a keel isn’t enough; the dragon also needs the right balance of weight, wing size, and flight speed.
For instance, penguins have a keel and could technically fly, but they’d need to go as fast as an airplane! The Quetzalcoatlus pterosaur, the largest flying animal ever, had a 12-meter wingspan to keep its 250-kilogram body in the air at a reasonable speed.
We calculated the weights and wing sizes of our dragon contenders and found that their wings were too small for their weight. They’d have to fly super fast, which would destroy their wings. So, who wins? The most realistic dragon is the one with the biggest wings compared to its weight: the Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It has four limbs, a keel, and the largest wings for its size.
Now, could you ride it? That’s a topic for another day!
But wait, there’s more! How did so many cultures create dragon myths without ever meeting each other? If you’re curious, join the Extra Mythology campfire, where we explore dragon myths, human psychology, dinosaurs, and even the politics of dragons!
Political dragons? Sounds like fun! Let’s learn more about these fascinating creatures together!
Imagine you are a dragon designer! Based on what you’ve learned about biology and physics, sketch your own realistic dragon. Consider the number of limbs, wing size, and body weight. Share your design with the class and explain why your dragon could exist in the real world.
Join a debate on which famous fantasy dragon is the most scientifically plausible. Use evidence from the article to support your arguments. Work in teams to present your case, and listen to the opposing team’s points. Who will win the title of “Most Realistic Dragon”?
Conduct a simple experiment to understand the principles of flight. Create paper airplanes with different wing sizes and weights. Test how these factors affect flight distance and stability. Relate your findings to the challenges dragons would face in flying.
Research dragon myths from different cultures around the world. Create a presentation or poster that highlights the unique features of these dragons and any common themes. Share your findings with the class and discuss why dragons might appear in so many cultures.
Build a 3D model of a dragon’s anatomy using clay or other craft materials. Focus on the skeletal structure, including the keel and wing attachments. Label the parts and explain how each contributes to the dragon’s ability to fly or breathe fire.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
Hi, this is Julián from MinuteEarth. Dragons don’t exist – but if they did – which would be pretty cool – they’d need to conform to Earth’s biological and physical rules. So we figured we’d make a fun video about which of these famous fantasy dragons would have the best shot at being more than just fantasy.
To rank these dragons’ believability, we’ll start with the most unnatural characteristics of dragons and move up from there. Look, obviously dragons breathe fire, but we looked into it and the only thing that even comes close to that in nature is the bombardier beetle, which fires boiling hot liquid from its body to deter its enemies – not exactly fire breathing. So let’s just move on to limbs.
Most Western depictions of dragons, like on the Welsh flag, have four legs and two wings for a total of six limbs. But all bony creatures on Earth evolved from a four-limbed fish, which serves as the blueprint for every other bony creature, including a hypothetical dragon. This makes it very unlikely for a six-limbed dragon to evolve on Earth. That’s why some fantasy writers, filmmakers, and game designers have used real bats, birds, and pterosaurs as models for their four-limbed dragons.
So we’re placing all these six-limbed dragons in the bottom tier, including Smaug from the theatrical release of the first Hobbit film. The Smaug from the second film, however, gets to move on, since the filmmakers removed his front legs, not because they particularly cared about Earth’s evolutionary history, but because they thought it would make for a more expressive performance. A wingless four-legged dragon would be accurate too, but without magical flight like Eastern depictions of dragons, that’s basically just a lizard.
Now, let’s talk about wings: animals need them to fly, which means they need big chest muscles to flap their wings, which requires a tall ridge on their modified sternums called a “keel” for the muscles to attach to. A dragon without a keel couldn’t have the muscles needed to power fast enough flight to keep its massive body in the air.
That means it’s the end of the line for these smooth-chested dragons. But a keel alone is not enough to fly; any creature that wants to fly also needs the right combination of weight, wing size, and flight speed. The more a creature weighs, the bigger its wings need to be or the faster it needs to fly to generate the necessary lift to stay airborne.
For example, penguins, which do have a keel, could actually fly despite their narrow wings, but they would have to go nearly as fast as a commercial airliner. The Quetzalcoatlus pterosaur, thought to be the largest flying animal to have ever existed, had a 12-meter wingspan, which kept its 250 kilograms aloft at a reasonable speed.
Naturally, we painstakingly calculated the weights and wing sizes of all our remaining dragon contenders and found they all had wings too small for their weight, meaning they’d need to fly at ridiculously fast speeds to sustain flight, and the forces involved would destroy any flesh and bone-based wings.
Wait, so nobody wins? Well … among our remaining candidates, the most realistic has to be the one with the biggest wings in relation to their weight. And the winner is: the Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It has four limbs, a keel to hold its muscles, and the biggest wings in relation to its weight.
Now, whether or not you could ride it … we could get into that, but we don’t want this video to drag on. Did someone just make a pun?!
Hey Matt! What brings you over to MinuteEarth from the Extra Credits side of the internet?
Well Julián, you got me thinking… if the existence of these fantastical beasts is scientifically improbable at best… then how did many cultures around the world each come up with dragon myths before ever having contact with one another?
Good question! Say, you wouldn’t happen to… oh I don’t know… have any idea where one could find a video discussing that very topic would you?
You know, I just might! If you’re interested in dragons like I am, then come join the Extra Mythology campfire, where we’ll talk all about the dragon myths of various cultures, human psychology, dinosaurs, and even the politics of dragons!
Political dragons, huh? Hope they can let “bygones be bygones”… Did we just become best friends?
—
Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Dragons – In mythology, dragons are large, serpent-like creatures that are often depicted with wings and the ability to fly, but they are not real animals studied in biology or physics. – In many cultures, dragons are mythical creatures that are said to soar through the skies, but in biology, we study real animals like birds and insects that actually fly.
Biology – The scientific study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment. – In biology class, we learned about the different systems in the human body and how they work together to keep us alive.
Physics – The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. – In physics, we explored how forces like gravity and air resistance affect the motion of objects.
Wings – Structures that enable certain animals, like birds and insects, to fly by providing lift. – The wings of a butterfly are delicate and colorful, allowing it to flutter gracefully through the air.
Flight – The act or process of flying through the air using wings or other means. – Birds have adapted to flight with lightweight bones and strong muscles to help them soar through the sky.
Limbs – Extensions from the body of an animal, such as arms, legs, or wings, used for movement or manipulation. – Frogs have strong hind limbs that allow them to leap great distances to escape predators.
Keel – A structure in birds that provides an anchor for the muscles used in flight, helping them to fly efficiently. – The keel of a bird’s sternum is crucial for supporting the powerful muscles needed for flight.
Weight – The force exerted by gravity on an object, affecting how it moves and flies. – In physics, we learned that an object’s weight can influence how fast it falls to the ground.
Insects – A class of small arthropods with a three-part body, six legs, and usually wings, many of which can fly. – Insects like bees and butterflies play important roles in pollinating plants as they move from flower to flower.
Myths – Traditional stories or legends that often explain natural phenomena or cultural beliefs, but are not based on scientific evidence. – Myths about dragons breathing fire have fascinated people for centuries, even though such creatures do not exist in reality.
