We harness the power of the sun using solar panels. What if you were to scale this idea to astronomical proportions? Surround an entire star with solar-collecting structures or satellites to power your sprawling alien galactic empire. Such massive structures are known as megastructures—in this case a “Dyson sphere.” We are already trying to detect possible megastructures in space using the dimming of a star and the glow of megastructure components in infrared light. But recent research provides a new detection method—a Dyson sphere may cause its host star to swell and cool.
Hunting Giants
“Dyson spheres are one of many ideas about what extraterrestrial technology might look like, but no work had been done so far on how such a structure could affect its host star’s structure and evolution.” –Macy Huston
Dyson spheres were first proposed by astronomer Freeman Dyson in the 1960s. The idea is a fascinating one—a structure orbiting a star to harness power that would be so large it could be detected across the vast reaches of space. How could we spot one?
Teknologisesti kehittyneet avaruusolennot tarvitsevat valtavasti energiaa. Dyson pallolla sitä saa.
