Skip to main content

Sorry Sophie, we don't have a dragon research program

In Tbilisi, Georgia, right at the top of the column in Freedom Square, is a glorious golden statue of St George slaying a dragon. But I haven’t heard of any dragon research programs in Georgia. Australia doesn’t have a dragon research program either, for which it has apologized to a seven-year-old girl (Canberra Times, January 8, 2014).

Sophie from Queensland, Australia, wrote to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the federal government agency for scientific research in Australia’s capital, Canberra. Sophie asked for a female dragon. “Would it be possible if you can make a dragon for me. I would like it if you could but if you can’t that’s fine,” she wrote.

She began her letter with “Help Lovely Scientist,” stating that her father told her all about the scientists at CSIRO. “I would call it toothless if it was a girl. And if it it a boy I would name it Stuart.” She said she would play with it every weekend. “I would keep it in my special green grass area where there are lots of space. I would feed it raw fish and I would put a collar on it. If it got hurt I would bandage it,” she wrote.

A CSIRO lovely scientist responded to Sophie. CSIRO has promised to step up its dragon research program, and in a light-hearted statement to the nation, it apologized for their lack of a dragon research program. “Over the past 87 odd years [since the inception of CSIRO] we have not been able to create a dragon or dragon eggs … our work has never ventured into dragons of the mythical, fire breathing variety,” said the CSIRO statement. “And for this Australia, we are sorry,” it added.

CSIRO’s reponse continued, stating that there could be many practical uses for dragons. “How much energy could it produce? Would dragon fuel be a low emissions option?” it wrote.

Sophie’s mother said Sophie was overjoyed with the CSIRO’s response and has been telling everyone dragon breath can be a new fuel. Sophie now wants to work in the CSIRO, saying that Australian scientists can do anything.

Perhaps one option in the meantime is a research program on the Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard!


Martina Nicolls is the author of "The Komodo Verses: Dragon Poems."


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/csiro-apologises-for-lack-of-research-on-dragons-20140108-30ggg.html#ixzz2pmyLkbT4

 A Copenhagen dragon

An origami Komodo dragon
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...
Post a Comment
Read more

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more