When Samwell Tarly calculated the climate of Westeros | Summary and Q&A

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April 30, 2020
by
Simon Clark
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When Samwell Tarly calculated the climate of Westeros

TL;DR

Using climate models, Professor Dan Lunt examines the climates of fantasy worlds, such as Westeros and Middle-earth, revealing their scientific accuracy and discussing climate change in an engaging way.

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Key Insights

  • 🌍 Applying climate models to fantasy worlds helps communicate complex climate science concepts through popular cultural frameworks.
  • 🦾 Climate models are based on fundamental physics and fluid mechanics, making them applicable to any Earth-like planet.
  • 📔 George R.R. Martin's descriptions of regional climates in his books align closely with the simulations produced by the climate model.
  • 🔍 The changing axial tilt of Westeros provides a possible explanation for the variable length of seasons in Game of Thrones.
  • 👶 Simulating the climate of fantasy worlds can reveal new insights and contribute to a better understanding of climate science.
  • 🌍 Climate models can be used to explore the potential impacts of increased atmospheric CO2 on fictional worlds.
  • 🔬 Using creative approaches, such as applying physics to fantasy realms, enhances climate science communication.

Transcript

thanks to brilliant for sponsoring a section of this video this is Dan Lunt a professor in paleoclimate at the University of Bristol though he sometimes goes by samwell tarly and even radagast the brown when writing scientific papers I'm passionate about climate science and I'm also very concerned about what the future might hold in terms of change... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Professor Dan Lunt use climate models to analyze the climates of fantasy worlds?

Lunt incorporated maps and basic information about the fantasy worlds, such as geography, length of the day, and intensity of the Sun, into the climate model. The model used fundamental physics and fluid dynamics to simulate and predict the weather and climate of these fantasy worlds.

Q: Did Lunt's research support the accuracy of the climates described in the fantasy books?

Yes, Lunt found that the regional climates in Westeros and Middle-earth, as described in the books, were quite accurate when compared to the simulations produced by the climate model. This suggests that George R.R. Martin had a good understanding of meteorology while writing the books.

Q: How did Lunt explain the variable length of seasons in Game of Thrones scientifically?

Lunt proposed that the changing axial tilt of Westeros could account for the variable length of seasons. Unlike Earth, where the axial tilt changes on long timescales, Westeros tumbles on its axis more rapidly and unpredictably, leading to varying and prolonged seasons.

Q: How did Professor Lunt address the challenges of simulating the climate of fantasy worlds?

Lunt encountered issues when simulating a perpetual Northern Hemisphere winter in the model. The extreme temperature differences between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres generated powerful winds and caused the model to become unstable. To resolve this, the axis of rotation of the fantasy world was tilted at a lesser angle to the Sun.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • Professor Dan Lunt utilizes climate models to investigate and simulate the climates of fantasy worlds like Westeros and Middle-earth.

  • Through his research, he finds that the regional climates in these fantasy worlds closely align with their descriptions in the books, showing George R.R. Martin's good understanding of meteorology.

  • Lunt also explores the concept of variable length seasons in Game of Thrones, proposing that the changing axial tilt of Westeros could explain this phenomenon.

  • Additionally, he highlights the importance of using fundamental physics in climate models and emphasizes that they can be applied to any Earth-like planet.

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