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Real-World Fantasy: Trees That Talk!

Posted on 28 September 2009

Yes! It’s true — trees do talk! And they’re really wise and take forever to say anything, just like the Ents in The Lord of the Rings (which I realize are technically not “trees”).

Okay, so no, maybe trees don’t talk like that exactly. But scientists have long known that some trees do “communicate” via the emission of certain chemicals that nearby trees can detect using photoreceptors.

For example, when some trees are eaten by certain pests, it triggers a response in the tree itself, releasing chemicals into its leaves that inhibits the thing that’s eating them; at the same time, the tree may also release pheromones or other chemicals (or possibly even electrical waves) into the air, to communicate to nearby trees to release the protective chemicals into their leaves.

What’s really interesting is that trees only release these chemicals if they’re being eaten — not if their leaves are merely torn or damaged.

Trees sometimes also communicate during forest fires. Trees can release chemicals communicating to other trees to change the composition of their bark, making it more heat-resistant.

But trees don’t just share bad news; other studies show that flowering trees communicate when exactly to go into bloom. In fact, simultaneous blooming is another defense mechanism, since it results in fewer flowers being eaten by predators than a drawn-out blooming season does.

And it’s not just plants communicating between themselves. When tobacco, for example, is attacked by caterpillars, it releases a chemical into the air that attracts a certain kind of wasp that eats the caterpillars. Some varieties of corn detect when they have root worm, which is a beetle larvae, and release chemicals that attract nematode worms that eat the larvae.

Still, it’s a far cry from the events of the M. Night Shyamalan movie The Happening, where the plants on earth all team up with each other to take out their number one nemesis: human beings.

Next week: all about that real-life species of apple tree seen in The Wizard of Oz that’s so stupid you can fool them into throwing apples at you with reverse psychology!

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Real-World Fantasy: Attack of the Giant Animals!

Posted on 31 August 2009

Tags: Real-World Fantasy

Best part of Harry Potter? The Acromantulas.

Best part of The Princess Bride? The Rodents of Unusual Size.

Best part of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids? The fight between the giant ant and giant scorpion. (Because all suburban neighborhood backyards are infested with scorpions.)

Point being, there has always been something about gigantic versions of smaller animals that have fascinated us. Why else would they constantly pop up in fantasy, dating from as far back as ancient Greece, whose mythology hosted a large menagerie of freakishly huge beasts?

But what’s the real scoop?

This is a mighty big world we live in, with a very large and complex history, and evolution can do a lot of wacky things when you’re not paying attention. Did usually small animals like spiders ever come in XXL?

Well, actually, yes, they do. And normally large animals can also be dwarfed.

The most common phenomenon which causes these re-sizings is called “island gigantism,” or “island dwarfism,” in which fauna are, through evolution, changed to fit their environment, which can be necessary for adaptation and survival, a phenomenon which mostly occurs in isolated environments like islands.

Some examples of these large animals still exist today, such as the giant tortoise, and, of course, the Komodo dragon. The freakiest of the freaky, though, are the insects. If you’re squeamish like me, you might want to read a different article now. (Believe me, if I wasn’t being paid to write this there’s no WAY I would ever have done this image search. I’m going to have weird dreams tonight.)

Here is a picture of a weta, one of the heaviest insects in the world, which can weigh more than 70 grams.

And as if our soldiers didn’t have enough to worry about in Iraq, there is also a species of spider called the Giant Camel Spider, which can grow as large as ten inches (TEN INCHES!!!) long…and…has been known…sorry, I need to collect myself.

It’s been known to hide out in sleeping bags. Bring our troops home now!

But since soldiers are way tougher than I am, they thought it was so funny when they found a pair of giant camel spiders locked in mortal combat that they decided to pick them up and snap a picture. Again, you might not want to…oh, you’re going to look anyway, so here:

Okay, not exactly Shelob, but they hide out in sleeping bags!!!

And as for giant snakes, such as Nagini from Harry Potter? Its representation in the films are not that inaccurate. Anacondas, a species of boa constrictor, can grow as large as 32 feet, well over five times the height of an average human. For scale:

And that’s a little guy!

While there may never have been spiders the size of a house or rats the size of a man, animals can come in all sorts of freaky sizes thanks to that thing we call evolution. It’s how birds can grow to fantastic sizes and even human, yes, humans, can be shrunk to the size of hobbits, if their survival depends on it. Just remember, next time you travel to a desert island, look around you and keep a weapon handy. Who know what you’ll find?

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Real-World Fantasy: Metal Bikinis!

Posted on 18 August 2009

Tags: metal bikinis, Real-World Fantasy

To begin this article, we’re going to need a highly academic image to use as a launching pad.

Go ahead and stare. She’s used to it.

The female warrior in the metal or armored bikini is a pretty common sight in the world of fantasy art. In fact, it’s sometimes difficult to find a female warrior who isn’t wearing one.

But adolescent male fantasies aside, did women ever really wear metal bras and G-strings? Or is it purely a convention of fiction? After all, the actual armoring properties of a chain mail bikini would seem, um, negligible.

To begin with, let’s take a look at the origin of that crazy thing called underwear. How did it start?

The first undergarment known to humankind was the loincloth, which is a strip of cloth tied around the waist and under the legs, used for cleanliness and (for guys) support. In warmer climates like Greece and Egypt, underwear was often eschewed altogether, though in “civilized” Rome, that was unthinkable.

As far as history can tell, those loincloths were never made out of metal. Which, I think we can all agree, is probably the best for all those involved.

But that’s the bottom. What about the top?

While female athletes as far back as the Minoan era (seventh century BC) used cloth tied around the chest to restrain their breasts, the shape of the garment we today call a brassiere didn’t emerge until the 19th century.

So where did this idea of the metal bikini pop up? The answer may be disappointing, but it isn’t surprising.

Metal bikinis emerged from that dark, dank, scary place known as the male psyche, well-known for enjoying bodily functions, inventing new ways to be violent, and sexually objectifying women as a means to make them less intimidating. The metal bikini is not a particularly sophisticated image, as it’s really just a form of semi-nudity, but what is interesting, aesthetically, is the juxtaposition of the hard, masculine metal with the soft, feminine curves of a woman’s body.

That dichotomy has titillated men for centuries, and there’s no sign of it slowing down any time soon.

When I was in my single-digits growing up in the 80’s, arcade culture was all the rage, and my two favorite video games were Gauntlet and, later, Golden Axe. Both of these video games featured playable female characters dressed in metal bikinis. (It should be noted that graphics were not what they are today, so most of my understanding of what the characters looked like came from the artwork printed on the actual arcade game.) In their defense, however, they also each featured a similarly scantily-clad male warrior who, interestingly enough, was clothed not in metal but in fur briefs, a la He-Man, thus contrasting the hard, muscular male body with the gentle softness of animal fur. Seems opposites are the way to go.

One final note: historians did find evidence that Viking women at one point wore metallic coverings over their breasts, but they were on the outside of their clothing, so no skin was showing. I have a picture, but first I want you to look at the two pictures above again.

Give ‘em a good look. Go ahead.

Red Sonya and Princess Leia. They got it goin’ on, right?

Have you memorized their every sensuous curve, every pout?

Yeah?

Good, okay, here’s what the Viking women really looked like:

You’re welcome.

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Real-World Fantasy: All About Druids

Posted on 14 July 2009

Tags: druids, Real-World Fantasy

Back once again to explore the real-world origins of some fantasy conventions, this week’s edition of our Real-World Fantasy column takes a look at a generic character type used often in fantasy films, novels, and video games: Druids.

In a great deal of fantasy fiction (particularly low fantasy, like the Conan the Barbarian variety), Druids are seen as either worshipers of a demonic religion hellbent on human sacrifice, or mystical mage warriors.

Obviously, both ideas are bogus.

But what is the truth behind these shadowy folk?

Unfortunately, the answer is not simple, as little concrete, universally accepted facts of the Druids exist. Still, we do know certain things.

The Druids were a class of citizen among the early Celtic people living in Britain and Gaul (modern day France and Belgium). They were by most accounts a priestly order, and in accordance with religious figures of the day, tended to be more learned than your standard citizen.

During his reign, Julius Caesar recorded that the all the various Celtic tribes were unified by their common priesthood, being, of course, Druids. Though interested in the workings of the religion, the Roman leaders eventually came to adopt a hostile attitude towards Druids, which they saw as particularly anti-Roman. As part of a possible smear campaign, Roman senator and historian Tacitus alleged that the Druids often took part in rituals involving human sacrifice. Whether truth factors into this is anyone’s guess.

It is believed by some that the Druids were actually remnants of an even older Mesolithic religion, and that the followers of this old religion were the ones responsible for the building of Stonehenge and several other massive stone temples, but again, any concrete evidence has eluded historians.

Many misconceptions about Druids, particularly those leaning towards the magical, stem from the fact that Druids are a common theme in Irish mythology. In these stories, they’re often cast as advisers to kings, and have the ability to see the future. Those seeking to learn Druidic craft are usually hoping to obtain some supernatural precognitive abilities.

Whatever the truth is, Druids were real people and followers of an old religion. Chances are the relationship between the Druid priests and the commoners of the Celtic tribes were not that different from the relationship between people today and their religious leaders, whatever flavor it may be. At any rate, it’s something to think about next time you choose to play as a Druid in World of Warcraft.

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Real-World Fantasy: Poking Around the Sword

Posted on 02 July 2009

Tags: Real-World Fantasy, sword, sword-fights

In all of fantasy, there is no weapon that is more an icon of the genre than the classic, dependable sword. Sure, a quarterstaff is hardy, a crossbows gets the job done, and you’ll never find a weapon more impressive than the chakram, but at the end of the day, when we think of fantasy heroes, they’re probably holding swords.

Swords can be found as far back in human history as the Bronze Age, roughly around the 17th century BC. It’s believed that they evolved from earlier cutting tools made from stone. Bronze, a far more durable material than stone, allowed early man to extend the length of these cutting tools into a very rough form of the sword we know today.

With the advent of the Iron Age in the 13th century BC, swords made of iron began appearing, which were not necessarily stronger or better than bronze swords, but the greater availability of iron made for quicker and larger production of swords, and when you need to equip an army, you don’t want to take your time.

Some clever smiths soon discovered, however, that by adding a bit of carbon to the iron during the smelting process, they ended up with a much stronger alloy which we now know as steel.

A common iron sword that can be considered an ancestor of the more well-known medieval swords is the spatha, first introduced by the Roman Empire. Roughly measuring about 3 feet long, the spatha was actually a longer version of the Roman gladius, a relatively short sword.

(Fun fact: the spatha gets its name from the Greek word spathe, which means any long, flat object, and is the basis of the word “spatula.” Flip the pancakes and make sure no one takes more than their fair share!)

Soon the sword spread far and wide, and some form of the weapon appeared on every continent. In fact, on Antarctica they even used icicles as swords.

Okay, that’s not true. But it would be awesome.

As stated before, the sword is a mainstay in fantasy fiction, to the point where some stories practically revolve around the weapon.

Arthurian legend, of course, prominently displays the mythic sword Excalibur. Excalibur is most often shown as an arming sword — sometimes called a knightly sword — which was a pretty standard one-handed cruciform sword, complete with cross-guard.

In The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin took part in an infamous, elaborate, gorgeously-choreographed sword fight relatively early on in the film. The swords they were using were slightly fantasized versions of rapiers, slender fencing swords with elaborate hand grips to offer superioor protection. (These swords started to appear around 1500 and became very popular with the civilian classes. Apparently civilians were into dueling.)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is perhaps the most well-known wuxia (Chinese martial arts fantasy) film to American audiences, and the plot centers around the stolen Green Destiny, the sword belonging to the protagonist Li Mu-bai. The Green Destiny is a jian, a double-edged, flexible sword still commonly used today in martial arts competitions.

The Highlander series also makes use of swords, notably those based on the katana, or samurai sword. The katana was in fact the main weapon of the samurai, the warrior class of feudal Japan. It is a single-edged, slightly curved blade, and its cutting ability is the stuff of legend.

And then, of course, there is the light saber. As technology evolves, everything old is new again, and, whether Star Wars took place “long, long ago” or not, I have a feeling the sword is going to be around for a long time to come.

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Real-World Fantasy: Searching for Secret Passages

Posted on 16 June 2009

Tags: Real-World Fantasy

Back for seconds after last week’s look at the simple torch, Real-World Fantasy, our regular column exploring the real-world implications of common fantasy conventions, will now seek to discover the truth behind those helpful entry and escape routes in so many of fantasy’s castles, mansions, and pyramids (not to mention the house in Clue!): the secret passage.

Secret passageways can be found in structures as old as the Egyptian pyramids, in which hidden tunnels, hidden doors, and booby traps were used to prevent grave robbers from stealing the various treasures that were interred along with the royal dead.

So it wasn’t an invention of the Lara Croft games!

The labyrinthine structure of medieval castles made hidden tunnels relatively simple to, well, hide. Secret passages were built so as to allow inhabitants of the castle to escape in the event of an attack. Often these were tunnels that led out to an exit a safe distance from the castle, where fleeing royals could run off into the night and out of immediate danger. These were also especially useful if one needed to restock a castle with food and supplies during a lengthy siege in which invaders attempted to starve out their enemies.

One of the great moments in history that feature a secret passageway was the overthrowing of Roger Mortimer by Edward III. Mortimer had led a rebellion against Edward II, aided by his lover, Isabella of France, who also happened to be Edward II’s wife, and deposed the king. (This tale is preserved in poetic drama by Christopher Marlowe in his play Edward II.)

Edward then abdicated in favor of his son, who was crowned king, but Mortimer and Isabella remained in power due to Edward being under 18. In 1330, while Mortimer and Isabella were tucked away in Nottingham Castle (seriously, that was its name), a parliament was called on the eve of Edward’s 18th birthday in which many nobles urged young Edward III to overthrow Mortimer just as Mortimer had usurped his father’s power.

How did Edward and company get the drop on Mortimer? Why, a secret passage, of course.

Though the castle was fortified with guards, Edward’s crew trekked through the hidden tunnel that led directly into the queen’s room. Both Isabella and Mortimer were seized and arrested. Mortimer was hanged for high crimes, and Isabella was forced into retirement in another castle (one without secret passages, no doubt).

So before we wave it away as just another cliche of fantasy that has no real-life counterpart, keep in mind that secret passageways were the (literal) doorways that led to many escapes, infiltrations, and coup d’etats. Through them, kings were deposed, princesses escaped death, and, no doubt, many lovers trysts were enabled.

Oh, and it’s also how Mr. Green got from the kitchen to the library.

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Real-World Fantasy: Why Don’t Torches Burn Out After Two Minutes?

Posted on 08 June 2009

Tags: Real-World Fantasy

There are all sorts of things that make fantasy such a rich and absorbing genre. The monsters, the quests, the epic battles, the weapons … the list goes on and on. We accept at face value that the worlds of fantasy involve a great deal of magic, and thusly we suspend our disbelief when spells are cast and potions are concocted.

But it can’t all be flights of fancy. In order for us to relate to the story, there must be some truths, some attributes of the real world, for us to sink our teeth into. In other words, if nothing adhered to real, physical rules, the story just wouldn’t work. Sword fights, a popular theme in fantasy, have their origins in the real world, as do secret passageways, quests on horseback, etc. But how often do we as fantasy fans stop to consider just how these things work?

It’s a good idea for a regular column, isn’t it? For the first entry in just such a column, we’ll start with something simple, something ever-present in fantasy, something that, in fact, inspired the name of this site: the torch.

Long the go-to tool of choice for heroic dragon slayers (and angry villagers), the simple hand-held torch brings light to even the darkest dungeons. But how do torches work?

Well, for one thing, don’t believe everything you see in the movies. Torches are far more than just sticks that are lit on the end, as some films would have you believe. They’re actually much less convenient than the torches concocted by Hollywood, which burn as bright and as long as you need them to. To make a torch, one needs to find a long, sturdy, and preferably wet branch (as wet wood is less flammable, meaning the chances of burning oneself is diminished.) One side is wrapped tightly in a great bundle of rags, which are then soaked with pitch or some other highly viscous oil, then set aflame.

How long a torch burns varies greatly on the amount of rags and pitch one uses, but they don’t last forever. So if you’re planning on running that monster out of your village but you have to cross through the scary woods to do it, better pack a few spares.

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Tag Archive | "Real-World Fantasy"

Real-World Fantasy: Trees That Talk!

Posted on 28 September 2009

Real-World Fantasy: Attack of the Giant Animals!

Posted on 31 August 2009

Real-World Fantasy: Metal Bikinis!

Posted on 18 August 2009

Real-World Fantasy: All About Druids

Posted on 14 July 2009

Real-World Fantasy: Poking Around the Sword

Posted on 02 July 2009

Real-World Fantasy: Searching for Secret Passages

Posted on 16 June 2009

Real-World Fantasy: Why Don’t Torches Burn Out After Two Minutes?

Posted on 08 June 2009

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