Video: scientists simulate the climate of The Hobbit's Middle Earth

Los Angeles turns out to have a similar climate to that of Mordor

Downtown Los Angeles, which climate modeling indicates has a similar climate to that of Mordor in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Photograph: Nick Ut/AP

Dan Lunt is a climate scientist at the University of Bristol, and also a tremendous fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s books. He was able to stitch together enough information to create a model of the fictional world of Middle Earth and simulate its climate.

As part of the Denial101x course, John Cook interviewed Lunt and discussed the process of simulating the climate of Middle Earth. The interview revealed some interesting tidbits. For example, as discussed in Part 2 below, parts of New Zealand, near where the movie was filmed, have a similar climate to that of The Shire. Los Angeles and Alice Springs, Australia share a climate similar to that of Mordor.

 The climate of Middle Earth interview, Part 1.

 The climate of Middle Earth interview, Part 2.

 The climate of Middle Earth interview, Part 3.

I also inquired whether Lunt might consider simulating the climate in the fictional world of Game of Thrones. In those books and television series, climate change plays a major role. Most of the characters focus on short-term concerns while ignoring the the long-term threat that ‘winter is coming,’ not unlike our behavior today in the face of the threats posed by rapid climate change. 

Lunt told me that two members of his research team who are fans of the series are currently working on this project in their spare time.