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Because Science

How Does THE HOBBIT’s Smaug Breathe Fire?

The world of The Hobbit is one filled with spells and magic, but could there be some science lurking in the bowels of its famous dragon, Smaug?

In my latest Because Science, I speculate about the evolution of the dragon’s deadly breath. Perhaps some ancient reptilian ancestors evolved to collect and store the gases that gurgle out of consumed prey. Or maybe Smaug’s biological ancestry developed something a bit more sophisticated, like reservoirs of hypergolic chemicals — chemicals that react and spontaneously combust after coming together. There’s already an insect that uses a similar strategy.

It’s more realistic than Legolas being in any of these movies at least.

Check out my last video on why it’s so hard to lift Thor’s hammer, subscribe to this playlist to stay current with the show, and follow me on Twitter to barrage me with nerdiness!

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Comments

  1. J says:

    because science = because awesome

  2. Insightful Panda says:

    Kyle, if dragons could house the gases like you said, could that also aid in flight? Sort of like a massive blimp. 
    Great video & topic btw. SCIENCE! 

  3. patrick says:

    so kinda like the way the dragons in rein of fire work

  4. Santiago says:

    How does Stephen Hawking’s imaginary time works?

  5. Geoff says:

    The fact that you even bring up convergent evolution means you now have a new fan.