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The Physiology of Dragon Fire

There are a few different theories on how dragons breathe fire. In no particular order, they are as follows:

1. The Limestone Hypothesis. In addition to cows, sheep, and other animals, dragons have also been spotted eating limestone. As to why they would need to do this, dragonologists speculate that it might be due to digestion of food (although this is unlikely), and others speculate that it has something to do with the dragon's production of fire. Dragonologists who ascribe to the latter hypothesis believe that dragons have a separate stomach-like deposit that is only for storing chewed limestone. The dragon has another organ that secretes fluorine, and when it has to defend itself, it will regurgitate the fluorine and partially digested limestone in controlled amounts, which will combust and generate a formidable stream of fire.



2. The Ernst Drake Hypothesis. Renowned dragonologist Ernst Drake has forcefully argued that a dragon's fire breath is made possible due to the adaptation of venom glands common to some poisonous snakes. Much like snakes, dragons secrete their flammable venom through two specialized fangs, and jiggle pyrite and flint in a special pouch in the lower part of their mouths to ignite the venom. Drake disregards other theories, especially ones involving methane gases and iron teeth, dismissing them as "unscientific nonsense." (see Drake's classic work, Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons for more details)



3. The Draconian Hypothesis. According to widely read dragon scholars at draconian.com, fire-breathing has to do with the dragon's food digestion process. The food goes from one stomach to another after it has been partially digested, from which it is turned into a byproduct of hydrogen. It stores the hydrogen in other large glands in its body, which it mixes with other chemicals in its body to create fire. For dragons that breathe frost or other substances, there are other chemical processes which are responsible for this.



4. The Methane Hypothesis. When most animals digest food, the digestion process creates methane, which is itself a flammable gas. Some dragonologists hypothesize that dragons have a special storage cavity for methane in their bellies, and they ignite it much in the same way an electric eel creates an electric charge.



5. The Magic Hypothesis. Dragons have been known to use magic, or in other words, "unexplained powers currently unexplainable by science." Thus, one contending hypothesis says that a dragon's fire is magical, and cannot be understood by scientific principles. Proponents of this theory assert that the dragon breathes fire because of "a lot of will and effort" and don't go on to say much else besides the fact that "dragons are magical creatures and can do things that other creatures cannot, e.g. breathe fire." This theory is possible, but is not instrumental for dragonologists to understand dragons on a scientific level.

Even though fire-breathing is a topic that excites dragonologists more than almost any other area in the field, it is also unfortunately the one we know the least about (even the great Ernst Drake admitted this in his later years). So, in this researcher's case, I am hesitant to commit to any one theory too strongly, and suspend judgment until more data has been gathered. If you have a theory you would like to submit, which is supported by your own observations, please send it to fire@everythingdragons.com. Thanks!

VR