Poll: Could Dragons Have Ever Existed

[ygetoff]

I bet all these ancient cultures simply found fossilized dinosaur bones and then created dragons to explain them.
Hell, I bet some of the flying dinosaurs probably bear a passing resemblance to modern dragons.

 

[_Serendipity_]

Other than being silly and widening and widening the definition of 'Dragon' until you could classify a particularly halitosis-ridden cat as one...

No, don't be silly, Dragons don;t exist.

Edit: Man, this is the first time I've posted in a while... I really need to change my Avatar from it's emo-tastic current state.

 

[Hollock]

probably not. One of the reasons I've heard for so many cultures having a creature like this is that the dragon is usually a mix up of all the creatures of the area combined, usually wolf/ground predator, lizard, and a big menacing bird of some kind. This is just a theory and I'm wording it bad, but it made a lot of sense to me when I heard it a while back. Wether they're real or not I'm sure we can all agree they're awesome. What, you disagree? King Gidorah.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Didn't Discovery Channel do a special about something like this?

They said somewhere along the lines of actually finding a reptile skeleton that resembled a dragon. (or something like that)

It was a fake doucmentary. They made it purely for entertainment, however to make it seem legit they came up with theories as to how the biology of a dragon would work if they did exhist. For a fantastic creature they actually did a really good job on making it seem scientifically possible. It made it seem as if they could technically exhist which was cool.

Did they explain how it could breathe fire?

The only way I can think of for a creature to do what would be by spewing volatile chemicals out of it's mouth that combust upon coming in contact with air. But that would mean a Dragons body is filled with gallons of the chemicals, essentially turning them into giant bombs. I have a hard time imagining such a creature surviving for any period of time.

They explained it by saying the animal had two glands on opposite sides of their bodies or heads that secreted chemicals that would combust when they were combined, and that it would take oxygen to make it possible (like all fire). They would eject these two chemicals in the same manner a spitting cobra would so they would meet a small distance in front of the mouth. They said it would be mainly used as a defensive mechanism and would have a limited supply to be used at one time, kind of like an octopus's ink or a skunk's scent gland, and not for hunting or killing.

Defensive mechanism? A massive flying lizard with terrifying strength needs to spit fire as a defensive mechanism? What the hell would pose such a threat to a Dragon that they need to use fire to defend themselves?

Actually I just thought of something. If Dragons could breathe fire, wouldn't one of them eventually learn how to cook meat, leading to the intelligence of dragons greatly increasing?

 

[quiet_samurai]

Didn't Discovery Channel do a special about something like this?

They said somewhere along the lines of actually finding a reptile skeleton that resembled a dragon. (or something like that)

It was a fake doucmentary. They made it purely for entertainment, however to make it seem legit they came up with theories as to how the biology of a dragon would work if they did exhist. For a fantastic creature they actually did a really good job on making it seem scientifically possible. It made it seem as if they could technically exhist which was cool.

Did they explain how it could breathe fire?

The only way I can think of for a creature to do what would be by spewing volatile chemicals out of it's mouth that combust upon coming in contact with air. But that would mean a Dragons body is filled with gallons of the chemicals, essentially turning them into giant bombs. I have a hard time imagining such a creature surviving for any period of time.

They explained it by saying the animal had two glands on opposite sides of their bodies or heads that secreted chemicals that would combust when they were combined, and that it would take oxygen to make it possible (like all fire). They would eject these two chemicals in the same manner a spitting cobra would so they would meet a small distance in front of the mouth. They said it would be mainly used as a defensive mechanism and would have a limited supply to be used at one time, kind of like an octopus's ink or a skunk's scent gland, and not for hunting or killing.

Defensive mechanism? A massive flying lizard with terrifying strength needs to spit fire as a defensive mechanism? What the hell would pose such a threat to a Dragon that they need to use fire to defend themselves?

Actually I just thought of something. If Dragons could breathe fire, wouldn't one of them eventually learn how to cook meat, leading to the intelligence of dragons greatly increasing?

For when they are small, and it said that they most likely would have lived side by side with dinosaurs, so that's a threat to them too. Also don't forget other dragons that may want to cause them harm as well. It would take a huge amount of energy for an organism to be able to emit open flames for a long duration of time, remember it wasn't coming from a fantasy mindset, but a scientific one.... although hypothetical. And it did mention something about them searing their meat before they ate it.

 

[SulfuricDonut]

Just look at the dinosaurs.
We don't even know everything about THEM yet, let alone what animals ATE them.

 

[_Serendipity_]

'hokay, debating this is foolish, but...

If people knew enough about them for them to be in our stories an cultural myths, then they would have needed to be around in the last <100,000 years at very least. Therefore you can't have them co-existing with dinosaurs and have our ancestors know about them.

No, you can't disprove their existence.

Neither can you disprove Xenu's.

I will allow you to draw your own conclusions.

 

[aruseusx]

Of course! Haven't you ever seen Reign Of Fire?

It's a documentary.

I don't recall Matthew McConaughey saving the world.(But I like that movie)

Well since so many cultures have their own version heres what I think
- Dinosaur skeletons got confused with dragons
- The first dragon story was told and the chinese whispers effect happened

 

[aruseusx]

Didn't Discovery Channel do a special about something like this?

They said somewhere along the lines of actually finding a reptile skeleton that resembled a dragon. (or something like that)

It was a fake doucmentary. They made it purely for entertainment, however to make it seem legit they came up with theories as to how the biology of a dragon would work if they did exhist. For a fantastic creature they actually did a really good job on making it seem scientifically possible. It made it seem as if they could technically exhist which was cool.

Did they explain how it could breathe fire?

The only way I can think of for a creature to do what would be by spewing volatile chemicals out of it's mouth that combust upon coming in contact with air. But that would mean a Dragons body is filled with gallons of the chemicals, essentially turning them into giant bombs. I have a hard time imagining such a creature surviving for any period of time.

They explained it by saying the animal had two glands on opposite sides of their bodies or heads that secreted chemicals that would combust when they were combined, and that it would take oxygen to make it possible (like all fire). They would eject these two chemicals in the same manner a spitting cobra would so they would meet a small distance in front of the mouth. They said it would be mainly used as a defensive mechanism and would have a limited supply to be used at one time, kind of like an octopus's ink or a skunk's scent gland, and not for hunting or killing.

Defensive mechanism? A massive flying lizard with terrifying strength needs to spit fire as a defensive mechanism? What the hell would pose such a threat to a Dragon that they need to use fire to defend themselves?

Actually I just thought of something. If Dragons could breathe fire, wouldn't one of them eventually learn how to cook meat, leading to the intelligence of dragons greatly increasing?

For when they are small, and it said that they most likely would have lived side by side with dinosaurs, so that's a threat to them too. Also don't forget other dragons that may want to cause them harm as well. It would take a huge amount of energy for an organism to be able to emit open flames for a long duration of time, remember it wasn't coming from a fantasy mindset, but a scientific one.... although hypothetical. And it did mention something about them searing their meat before they ate it.

If Dragons are real it would be a link between birds and dinosaurs.

 

[Tiny116]

Yes.

In another dimension maybe, but still existent

I'm going for the Primeval theory

 

[RatRace123]

There was a discovery Channel special about this, it was fictional, but it did present logical explinations on how firebreathing, flying reptiles could have lived and survived.

I'll bet they would've been yummy.

 

[knight of zendikar]

Dragons as everyone thinks of them... not on our planet...
According to a book I read, Dragons could not have evolved from any living thing on our planet because they have 6 limbs.... which no reptile has...
However, A wyvern (Like a Dragon, only 2 legs and 2 wings) are evolutionary possible

But in Free County USA there IS a dragon!

I dont get your logic certain species of snakes lacking any limbs over a period of time developed samll lizard like front legs so your logic is flawed if in the right circumstances evolution can work to not just modify existing organs and apendiges but create new ones over time to serve a required purpose.

 

[Alex_P]

Enh, a giant reptile wouldn't have the metabolism to do the kinds of things dragons are typically depicted as doing.

-- Alex

 

[The Candyman]

If there were dragons, there would still be dragons, for according to myth, they were bigger, stronger, smarter, and had incredibly longer lifespans than us; therefore, they would be the dominant species and would not have died out.

 

[knight of zendikar]

Theres already a direct link. Chickens are actualy dinosaur decendents. look at the raptor like Talons. As well many species of dinosaurs eventualy developed feathers.

 

[Puzzles]

People stumble across dinosaur remains and explain them in the same outlandish way as religion.

"It must be a fire breathing demon! Quick, make stories and mythology."

 

[benoitowns]

depends on what kind of dragon we're talking about. For the most part No. They didn't exist. There's very little history even claiming they existed. You don't hear about how the 100 years war was finally decided when a dragon came in to the mix? Other than creation myths and oral stories few ever claimed dragons were hanging around.

I think we would've noticed that.

I'm surprised at how many people think they could have existed considering how many antitheists are on this site.

it is also shocking that a croca-duck exists.....but that is the FAIL way evolution works......it defies logic...none of the mythological dragons exist...that is just retarded, but a dragon like creature is very likely. pterodactyls existed so...i mean they might have been considered dinosaurs or something

 

[BonsaiK]

I find it interesting how many cultures, many of whom had no substantial contact with one another, have references to enormous lizards called dragons. Now ignoring the fact that there are Komodo Dragons, is it possible that, at some point, a species of Dragon like creatures did exist? Maybe not the flying, fire breathing, size of office building variety, but dragons none the less.

It's possible that a big fat lizard existed, like a bigger version of the Komodo Dragon. Even breathing substances is not out of the question - fire and ice is doubtful, but poison or toxic gas is not unprecedented.

The impossible bit is the whole "big fat lizard flying" thing.

If an adult human of average height and weight had wings, for it to be able to use those wings to fly, it would need a chest bone over 1 metre long just to house the muscles required to move the wings fast enough to propel him/herself into the air, and the wings would need to be either of hang-glider dimensions, or the human would have to be able to move those wings at hummingbird-like speed (naturally requiring even more chest muscle). Now imagine what a big-assed lizard would need. If you look at the larger creatures that can fly these days, they all have something in common - their bodies are really, really small compared to their wingspan. A smaller body mass/wingspan ratio obviously means less power needed. If a "flying dragon" existed, it would look more like a Pterosaur/Pterodactyl, which also has a huge wingspawn and very small body, nothing like typical "dragon" dimensions.

Didn't Discovery Channel do a special about something like this?

They said somewhere along the lines of actually finding a reptile skeleton that resembled a dragon. (or something like that)

I've seen this exact documentary, it's one of those "hypothetical" docu-dramas, the incident reported wasn't real. However the doco deliberately makes it look very convincing (the mark of a good doco maker!).

 

[FROGGEman2]

The physicality of something is irrelevant, the concept remains reality in your mind, thus it is.

Is something what you see? For what you see is what you percieve, and if you percieve something to be a dragon, a dragon it is.

So, yes.

But so does Mr. Hanky, the Christmas poo.

 

[ShrooM_DoughKiD]

I find it interesting how many cultures, many of whom had no substantial contact with one another, have references to enormous lizards called dragons. Now ignoring the fact that there are Komodo Dragons, is it possible that, at some point, a species of Dragon like creatures did exist? Maybe not the flying, fire breathing, size of office building variety, but dragons none the less.

It is highly possible, considering just how many cultures had written about dragons in atleast one way,shape or form