A study of the bizarre climate of the fictional Game of Thrones world has been published, Earther reports. The study delves deep into the show's famous phrase "winter is coming," looking at how seasons in the book and the HBO show can last for so incredibly long. It also looks at the effect of possible greenhouse gas increases in the planet's atmosphere "due to [...] carbon dioxide and methane emissions from dragons, and the excessive use of wildfire."
Authored by none other than Samwell Tarly, a student studying to become a Maester at the Citadel, Westeros’ renowned center of learning, the study is affiliated with the UK's University of Bristol. The University makes note that the climate model simulations "were not funded in any way, and were set up in the author’s spare time."
Titled "The Climate of the world of Game of Thrones," the very thorough report is also available in Dothraki and High Valyrian.
The findings? Those long seasons are due to a "tumbling" of the planet's axis. From the study:
Tarly postulates that the Lannister's home of Casterly Rock has a climate that resembles Houston, Texas, and Changsha, China while the climate of The Wall resembles that of Lapland, Finland. From the study:
To kill some time before the next and final season of HBO's Game of Thrones arrives, which will be sometime in 2019, head here to read the mock study in its entirety.