ED49 - Fire, Ice, and Physics: Teaching science with Game of Thrones
ROOM 711 - Education
Friday May 31, 2019 - 12:00 pm to 12:50 pm
Game of Thrones is a fantasy that features a lot of made-up science—fabricated climatology (when is Winter coming?), astronomy, metallurgy, chemistry, and biology. Most fans of George R. R. Martin’s fantastical world accept it all as part of the magic. A trained scientist, watching the fake science in Game of Thrones, might think: But how would it work? Fire, Ice, and Physics, will turn a scientist’s eye on Game of Thrones, exploring, among other things, the science of an ice wall, the genetics of the Targaryen and Lannister families, and the chemistry of dragon fire. A physicist and an enthusiastic Game of Thrones fan will use the fantasy science of the show as a gateway to some interesting real science, introducing GOT fandom to a new dimension of appreciation. Even the most faithful Game of Thrones fans will learn new and interesting things about the show from this engaging and entertaining talk full of science lessons, show clips, and even some fire demos.
