There has long been a debate over whether the dragons from Game of Thrones are too big to fly, and now, science has a definitive answer. The fire-breathing creatures have had a colossal impact on George R.R. Martin's fantasy saga, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the subsequent HBO adaptation. Introduced during the final scene of Game of Thrones season 1, Daenerys Targaryen and her three baby dragons grow up together over the course of the series, forging a deep bond.

During the later seasons of Game of Thrones, Dany's dragons - Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion - grow to full size and play a pivotal role in the war against the Night King and the Dragon Queen's fiery destruction of King's Landing. However, viewers have long questioned the plausibility of these mythical creatures taking flight, with many arguing that the beasts are anatomically incapable of flying because their wingspans are too small compared to their large bodies. The debate has raged on for several years but now, a definitive answer is here.

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An article published by The Conversation (via Scientific American) has finally answered the question – could the dragons from Game of Thrones actually fly? Aeronautical engineer Guy Gratton performed all the requisite calculations involving a dragon's wingspan, body size, and stalling speed. In short, Gratton discovered that, according to math and science, the answer is yes.

To estimate the size of a dragon, Bratton used Daenerys as a visual comparison, who appears to be about 1.6 meters or 5 feet 3 inches tall. Bratton also assumed that the gravitational pull in Game of Thrones is the same as on Earth. However, in his calculations, Bratton discovered that the fantasy world's atmosphere must be far denser than Earth's. There is even empirical evidence in Game of Thrones to support this given characters' ability to throw weapons with ease, which is consistent with a denser atmosphere. Although magic could be used as a lazy justification, Bratton wanted to explain everything through science.

The debate over whether the dragons from Game of Thrones are too big to fly has raged on for several years and was recently reignited by the prequel show, House of the Dragon, which features even larger dragons and in greater numbers. Though the fire-breathing creatures are conceptions of pure fantasy, it's amusing to imagine if they actually existed and what that would mean for the world. It gives the series a surprisingly realistic touch, as the supposed fantasy of it all only goes so far. Recent debates have stretched what dragons smell like, as one oddly specific example. House of the Dragon continues with a new episode this Sunday night on HBO, and the next time a dragon soars through the sky, audiences can appreciate the spectacle with an elevated understanding of aerodynamics.

Source: The Conversation (via Scientific American)