10 Magical Game Of Thrones Details Explained With Science

2. Wildfire

Wildfire is another one of those that's lifted straight from European history.

Humanity has been using chemical weaponry for many thousands of years, due to its proclivity for rendering the enemy horribly dead. The example that would be historically most similar to the terrifying wildfire of the Game of Thrones universe is a substance known as Greek Fire.

This was used all the way back in the 7th Century Byzantine Empire to great effect in naval battles. Although, like Damascus steel, nobody left a handy recipe lying around for the archaeologists, but it's generally thought to have been made from naphtha, quicklime and sulphur.

Like Wildfire, it can burn on water and cannot be extinguished by it, making it ideal for naval warfare. If you wanted to turn it the distinctive green hue of Wildfire, you could always try adding a bit of copper oxide.