SINGAPORE - Much is made of the late J.R.R. Tolkien's knack for inventing languages, but it turns out the fantasy author was also capable of complicated mathematics.
To create the world of Middle-earth that his books The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord Of The Rings (1954 and 1955) are set in, the British author took pains to calculate details like population growth and maturation rates for the fictional race of the Elves.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
