Timothy J. Burbery: Why do so many cultures have dragon legends?

Why do so many cultures have dragon legends?

From the Chinese Loong to the Filipino Bakunawa, the Scottish Beithir and the Greek Hydra, dragons have inflamed imaginations for millennia. Their ubiquity across world mythology has led many scholars to ponder their possible origins. Could it be that tales of dragons were crafted to make sense of violent weather events? Timothy J. Burbery shares what geomythology has uncovered about dragons. [Directed by Sailesh Gopalan, Lanlan Studios, narrated by Alexandra Panzer, music by André Aires].

Dragons appear in myths across continents, sparking curiosity about their origins and deeper meanings. Some stories may have begun as attempts to explain fossils, volcanic eruptions, or other dramatic natural events. Researchers have even used mythological clues to locate meteor impact sites and revise volcanic timelines, as seen with Indigenous Australian legends and Hawaiian tales of Pele. Dragon myths not only capture imaginations but also preserve valuable records of humanity’s evolving relationship with the natural world.