When 7-year-old Sophie wrote to Australia's leading science agency and asked for a dragon, we knew it was time to step up our dragon R&D program.
A mythical generator: Could the fire in Smaug’s belly power a small city?
We’ve been doing science since 1926 and we’re quite proud of what we have achieved. We’ve put polymer banknotes in your wallet, insect repellent on your limbs and Wi-Fi in your devices. But we’ve missed something.
There are no dragons.
Over the past 87 odd years we have not been able to create a dragon or dragon eggs. We have sighted an eastern bearded dragon at one of our telescopes, observed dragonflies and even measured body temperatures of the mallee dragon. But our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety.
And for this Australia, we are sorry.
This came to our attention today when we received the following letter:
Hello Lovely Scientist
My name is Sophie and I am 7 years old. My dad told me about the scientists at the CSIRO. Would it be possible if you can make a dragon for me. I would like it if you could but if you can’t thats fine.
I would call it toothless if it was a girl and if it is a boy I would name it Stuart.
I would keep it in my special green grass area where there are lots of space. I would feed it raw fish and I would put a collar on it. If it got hurt I would bandage it if it hurt himself. I would play with it every weekend when there is no school.
Love from Sophie
Fanmail, with a call for dragon R&D.
Last week the Scientific American hypothesised whether dragon fire would be produced by flint, gas, or rocket fuel. We already do some research in alternative fuels, so perhaps dragon fuel is a good area for us to start accelerating our dragon R&D program. Hobbit fans would have observed the amount of fire in Smaug’s belly. But how much energy could it produce? Would dragon fuel be a low emissions option?
Thanks for the fuel for thought, Sophie. We’re looking into it. In the meantime, you can always admire the brood of Daenerys Targaryen.
Sophie’s dragon.
* * *
UPDATE: We made Sophie a dragon. Really. Check it out in our latest post, Here be 3D printed dragons.
10th January 2014 at 12:13 pm
So insect DNA for limb numbers, bird for the light bones, blue whale for size, bat for the wings, spitting cobra for the fangs and spitting mechanism as well as the glands and bombardier beetle for the naturally produced explosive gas glands, stick it in an ostrich egg, Job Done! There may be a reason why they won’t let me in a genetics lab…………..
10th January 2014 at 11:20 am
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” – Francis Pharcellus Church, 1897
“Yes, Sophie, there is a dargon” – a Scientist at CSIRO, 2014
“Yes, Sophie, there is a dragon in my theme park” – Clive Palmer, coming soon
“Yes, Sophie, there is a dragon. You’re fired!” – Donald Trump, sometime after 2004
“Yes, Sophie, there is a dragon. It has run out of puff!” – Julia Gillard, before 2013
10th January 2014 at 10:34 am
Dear CSIRO and Sophie,
Well done! Personally I am happy to write to my local member and ask her to support more CSIRO funding for dragon research (as well as other CSIRO projects!). Meanwhile can I recommend to parents (or just dragon lovers) the excellent production “The Last Dragon” (shown about 2004-2005 on Channel 4) covering some high-grade dragon research – my 7-year old son dragon-obssessed son and his cousins practically memorised this. My son also has axolotls………(named Toothless, Ruth and Topaz i.e. Hiccup, Anne McCaffrey and Dragons of Deltora).
P.S. Love this discussion – really made my day!
10th January 2014 at 9:32 am
Well I think that maybe Sophie’s mom and dad could look into the Flying Dragon or Draco Volans. They are found in the southwest tropical forest of Asia and India. They are available as pets according to the artical that I read. They are little mini dragons. They can fit in your hand but look just like the dragon in Lord of the Rings.
10th January 2014 at 8:59 am
This is ridiculous, the Bible said nothing of Dragons, therefore they don’t exist. stupid heads!!!!
10th January 2014 at 12:18 pm
Actually the bible mentions dragons several times, so I suggest you actually read it. Just as several other religious texts do. Your friendly neighborhood Atheist
“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” (Revelation 12:3)
11th January 2014 at 9:40 am
Well said Hedley… totally owned Derren … haha
12th January 2014 at 6:44 am
Hedley, I don’t really think “Derren” is actually a Christian that really believes in the Bible. I’m a Christian that believes in LOTS of things not mentioned in the Bible (E.g. According to Derren’s logic, kangaroos don’t exist). I have no problem with dragons, and if they are proved to exist would marvel at the diversity of God’s creation, via His marvelous mechanism of Evolution.