The Flight of Dragons (book)

The Flight of Dragons

Cover of the first edition
Author Peter Dickinson
Illustrator Wayne Anderson
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Subject Dragons
Publisher Pierrot Publishing Ltd, UK - 1979
Paper Tiger, UK - 1998
Overlook Press, United States - 1998
Publication date
August 2, 1979
Pages 142

The Flight of Dragons is a 1979 speculative evolution book written by Peter Dickinson and illustrated by Wayne Anderson.

Thesis

According to Dickinson's hypothesis, the chief obstacle to admitting the (past) existence of dragons is the difficulty of powered flight by so large an organism. To resolve this, he introduces a dirigible-like structure in which hydrochloric acid would dissolve large amounts of rapidly-growing bone, releasing massive amounts of hydrogen that, once aloft, would support the body above the ground. The dragon's wings are traced to "modifications of the ribcage" (an anatomical evolutionary path not attested in any clade),[1] and the expulsion of fire from the throat, as a means of removal of excess gas. The absence of fossil evidence is traced again to the internal acids, which (in Dickinson's view) would dissolve the body soon after death.

Film

Main article: The Flight of Dragons

In 1982, Rankin/Bass Productions released a made-for-TV animated film The Flight of Dragons, aspects of which were based on Dickinson's novel. For example, the character design in the film bears a resemblance to the illustrations in the book, and its lead character takes his name from the author, Peter Dickinson. However, the animated film derives most elements of its story line from the novel The Dragon and the George.

See also

References

  1. Standard textbooks on biological evolution discuss the different paths along which vertebrates developed anatomical adaptations to powered flight. Jerry A. Coyne (22 January 2009). Why Evolution is True. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-164384-2. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Lay summary (5 March 2015). Richard Dawkins (10 September 2009). The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution. Transworld. ISBN 978-1-4090-8587-4. Retrieved 5 March 2015. Lay summary (5 March 2015).
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