Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of My Heart Radio. Hi, my name is Robert Lamb and this is the Monster Fact, a short form series from Stuff to Blow Your Mind focusing on on mythical creatures, ideas and monsters in time. In the Lord of the Rings, the Nasgal are the most valued servants of the dark lords Saoron. They ride forth from Minus Morgul on the backs of specially bred horses in search of the one Ring, but eventually they take to the sky on fell beasts,
winged creatures that otherwise have no name. The monster is described as something like a great featherless bird, and perhaps a creature of an older world. Now it's impossible to consider these descriptions without thinking of prehistoric terrasaurs, winged reptiles that are actually the earliest known vertebrates capable of powered flight. Even creator J. R. R. Tolkien admitted that the creatures were certainly pterodactylic even if the nine are not actually
meant to be thought of as writing pterodactyls. But if we were to match the steeds of the ring Raiths to actual Terra saurs, then we might be in luck, because Terra saurs included some of the largest flying animals to ever live. In fact, several species boasted wingspans of more than thirty feet or nine point one meters, rivaling
and in some cases exceeding, the wingspans of many small airplanes. However, scientists have differed on exactly how gifted a flyer these great terra saurs were, and even if the largest species were capable of powered flight or flight at all, did they possess powerful quadrupedo launching abilities or were they limited
by the launching abilities of their hind legs only. The answer to this question alone might limit how the fell beasts of the Nasgo might deployed in battle, as powerful vertical lift vehicles, as mounts that depended on cliff side launching, or something more akin to appear glider. There's also the question of bearing a ring raith's weight. We know that
the nasgal leave heavy bootprints in the mud. Despite their ghost like nature, they would still pose a burden to a living mount, as would their armor and their weapons. While winged mounts are a standard of fantastic fiction, various problems emerge. Implementing it in real life flight is taxing. It requires specialized bodies and a lot of energy to pull off. Among birds, the harpie eagle is an absolute powerhouse, capable of lifting prey equal to its own weight of
up to twenty pounds or nine kilograms. They've been known to take off with sloths, but raptors like this are not in it for the long haul. It's one thing to carry a heavy load from one tree branch to a nearby feeding spot, quite another to carry it act to more door. It's also quite another feat to carry something on your back. That's where a lot of vital
muscle work takes place in various flyers. Perhaps the neck of the nas goal would make for a better saddle point, and this is how they are sometimes depicted in art, but even the neck remains questionable on a flyer, as reported by science writer Ryan Morrison in The Mail Online. Two recent studies shed more light on the strength of
the terra sare. First of all, a one University of Portsmouth study found that specially arranged cross strutts sort of like bicycle spokes, enhanced the strength of their long necks. Next strength that would have been vital to support the creature during flight and allow it to carry off prey. Unlike avian raptors, the pterosaurs would have used their jaws as such, perhaps the neck would be the ideal place
to sit upon a great flying beast like this. We're left consider various possibilities concerning the use of these fell beasts in combat. Perhaps they were only flown for short bursts of assault or reconnaissance, or launched exclusively from high cliffs. They may also have excelled as a troupe. Transport of one for a ring raith would be worth many on the field of battle, especially if deployed at will from
the sky. Though we are told that at least once the fell beasts provide an aerial platform from which to send projectiles at the enemy on the ground. A creature the size of a great terra saur would pose a considerable threat as well. The nas goal that has written fought fiercely with nail and beak. Considering both mount and rider, it's quite a force to suddenly drop strategically from above. Fortunately, the armies of Sauron did not enjoy complete aerial superiority,
for intelligent eagles also occupied the sky. At the Battle of the Black Gate, the final battle of the War of the Rings. These two forces engaged in what we might consider dog fights in the skies of Middle Earth. Tune in for additional episodes of The Monster Effact each week in September and October. As always, you can email us at contact at stuff to blow your Mind dot com. Oh yes, and Happy Hobbit Day. Stuff to Blow Your
Mind is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.