Media Release
The existence of dragons and their probable re-emergence in the near future are detailed in a News & Views article published online in Nature on the 1st April 2015. The article identifies a number of factors that are likely to trigger the resurgence of these creatures, including the global economic downturn, policy changes and inaction on climate change.
Andrew J Hamilton, Robert M May and Edward K Waters describe documents uncovered in the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library, attributed to the monk Godfrey of Exmouth, which offer evidence of the impact of dragons over past millennia. They also detail further work that reveals that dragons were particularly prolific in the medieval times, due to a high abundance of food (knights), unusually warm temperatures and a high availability of nesting material (silver and gold). However, according to the authors, a decline in temperature and food availability triggered a long-lasting hibernation period in the various dragon species, beginning around the start of the fifteenth century.
The authors describe a number of key events over the past few decades that are likely to lead to the resurgence of dragons. The rise in 'quantitative thieving', the process by which failing economic policies are bolstered by the removal of the dragons' valuable nesting materials, alongside sluggish action on global warming and the restoration of knighthoods in Australia are all identified as factors that would encourage dragons to renounce hibernation. They conclude by warning that climatic conditions are rapidly reaching an optimum for breeding dragons and recommend further research into fire-retardant material and the avoidance of honorific titles.
Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Dr Robert Johnson is a reptile veterinarian and is President of the Unusual Pet and Avian Special Interest Group of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the Australian and NZ representative to the International Committee of ARAV (Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians).
Dr Andrew Hamilton is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences At The University of Melbourne and an Adjunct Professor at Federation University Australia
Dr Paul Willis is a palaeontologist and Director of the Royal Institution of Australia