New book will try and explain “The Science of Game of Thrones”
By Dan Selcke
Because it’s set in a fantasy world, Game of Thrones can sometimes avoid the scientific inquiries leveled at shows set in modern times. Yes, we might occasionally wonder about the physical plausibility of a giant flying lizard that spits fire or a race of ice people who can raise the dead, but generally speaking we just accept those as part of the world. Dragons and White Walkers don’t need to make complete sense to be a threat to the characters—they just are.
Still, publisher Little, Brown and Company is going to try and shed some light on those issues by preparing The Science of Game of Thrones, which will be, in the words of the press release, “a myth-busting, mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, and fun-filled expedition through Westeros and beyond.”
Applying real-world science to pieces of pop culture that don’t really call out for it is in vogue lately (if you’re so inclined, check out these Wired articles about the science behind Thor’s hammer Mjolnir and Smaug the dragon from the Hobbit movies), and considering the popularity of Game of Thrones, it was probably past time for a project like this. Little, Brown is going to try and make it entertaining, though—stand-up comedian Helen Keen is writing the book, so I’m guessing it’ll emphasize the “fun-filled” part of the expedition as least as much as the scientific part.
Keen is best known for her solo show (and accompanying radio program) It Is Rocket Science, a stand-up comedy lecture about the history of space travel. Keen has toured science festivals with the show, so she does have a scientific bent.
And there are some scientific questions about Game of Thrones I think a fair number of fans have asked themselves. For example:
- Is it possible for a guy to crush another man’s head using his bare hands? (Depends on who you ask, but at least a couple of publications seem to think so.)
- Why do the seasons in Game of Thrones last for years at a time? (Doesn’t matter, as George R.R. Martin has said numerous times that the seasons have a fantasy, rather than a scientific, explanation.)
- Can someone actually die by getting molten gold poured on their head? (Probably, although the steam would likely kill the person first.)
And so on. For the rest, I’ll wait for the book. No word on a release date as of yet.