The Science of Middle-Earth: Explaining The Science Behind The Greatest Fantasy Epic Ever Told!Cold Spring Press, 2004 M11 2 - 256 pages Henry Gee, Senior editor for what many have called the most important magazine in science today - Nature - has written a spellbinding, fun, and accessible book explaining the scientific basis for how all that wizardy, sorcery, and magic really works in JRR Tolkien's fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings and his other fictional books featuring Middle-earth. The author explores just how elves might be able to see much further than humans, why Frodo's sword turns blue at the sight of evil orcs, how the rings of power do their thing, and just about every other conundrum or piece of 'elvish magic' that have puzzled and delighted Tolkien fans for years. Throughout, Gee makes the point that science, fantasy , and nature are really more similar than one might think. Gee writes in a popular tone and style, fully explaining all science concepts and convincingly demonstrating how Tolkien's world of fantasy makes sense in a very real - scientific - way. |
Contents
Foreword by David Brin | 7 |
Authors Note | 13 |
About J R R Tolkien | 18 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
acuity Adunaic ancient animals Aragorn Argentavis Balrog become Beowulf Bilbo biology birds Bombadil called chapter context contrast create creatures culture described dimensions dinosaurs dragons Dwarves Earth elephants Elves Elvish Elvish technology English Ents evolution evolutionary example extinction eyes Fangorn fantasy Feanor female flora forest fossil Frodo Galadriel Gandalf genes genetic giant Gondor hard Hebrew Hobbits HOME Homo erectus human imagine invisible Ithilien J.R.R. Tolkien kind language Legolas less Letters light limbs linguistic literary live Lord magic means metabolism Middle-earth mithril modern Mordor Morgoth Moria Nature Noldor Notion Club Papers Numenor Numenoreans once Orcs organisms origin orkish pair palantíri perhaps philology plants possible problem pterosaurs reference reproduction Rings Rockall Saruman Sauron science fiction scientific scientists seen Shelob Shire Silmarillion Silmarils simply species spiders stars story substance suggests tend things Third Age tion Treebeard trees vertebrates wearer wings word X-Files