The Science of Game of Thrones

Valar more-curious!

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WINTER:
Seasons of Westeros and the 3-body problem: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1304.0445v1.pdf
Other possible explanations for the seasons: http://io9.com/5906300/5-scientific-e...
Why those other reasons are wrong:
http://bit.ly/1hYuRDJ
http://boingboing.net/2012/05/14/grea...
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankov...

NOTE ON MOONS AND STABILIZATION: I'm adding this comment after the video goes up: In retrospect I should have said that a moon doesn't necessarily have to be present to stabilize a planet. While our moon does cancel out some tugging from the other planets in the solar system, here's a recent paper shows that moonless planets can orbit with great stability even without the influence of a moon. Basically moons aren't required for stability: http://barnesos.net/publications/pape...

Even more reasons for the seasons: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/05/how-...

GEOLOGY:
Generation Anthropocene's AMAZING geologic history of Westeros and Essos: http://www.stanford.edu/group/anthrop...

VALYRIAN STEEL:
Damascus steel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus...

DRAGON FIRE:
Kyle Hill's explanation for real-life dragon fire: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/b...

DRAGON FLIGHT:
Dragon-sized birds are biologically impossible: http://wapo.st/1lBV2RE

WILDFIRE:
Greek fire: http://www.sciforums.com/what-is-gree...
Trimethyl borate flame by hkparker:    • Combustion of Trimethyl Borate  

MILK OF POPPY:
Opates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium

THE WALL:
Compression melting of ice:   / can_ice_be_compressed_into_water  

DIRE WOLVES:
Canis dirus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf

REAL-LIFE CHARACTERS:
Abandon all productivity ye who click here: http://history-behind-game-of-thrones...
Stark/Lannister feud in real life tapestry: http://history-behind-game-of-thrones...

Joe Hanson - Host and writer
Joe Nicolosi - Director
Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer
Katie Graham - Director of Photography
Edited by Stephanie Noone and Kirby Conn from Arts & Labor
John Knudsen - Gaffer

Music:
"Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod

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