The Dyson sphere is a project of rebuilding an entire star system, which theoretically can be carried out by a certain advanced civilization. From time to time, publications about it appear in the media and surprise readers every time. We will tell you the main facts about this incredible construction.
1. What is a Dyson sphere
The Dyson sphere is a hypothetical structure that an extremely advanced civilization can build around its own star. It is usually represented as a thin-walled sphere having a diameter close to the diameter of the Earth’s orbit.
This construction was proposed by the American theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson as a possible explanation for the Fermi Paradox. According to his idea, all highly developed aliens sit inside such spheres and do not show themselves outside.
There are also alternative designs, which are systems of rings around a star or mesh structures.
2. Why create it
The main reasons for the creation of the Dyson sphere are the expansion of space for life and the efficient collection of star energy. The Sun is the source of the absolute majority of energy on Earth. But most of its radiation passes by our planet.
The Dyson sphere could intercept almost all the energy produced by the Sun; and it is 3,827⋅10²⁶ J per second, which exceeds all the needs of humanity by many times. In addition, the inner surface of the Dyson sphere, which has a diameter of 1 AU, is 550 million times larger than the Earth’s area. So, no matter how the number of mankind increases, there is enough space for everyone.
3. From which to build a Dyson Sphere
The Dyson sphere needs an incredible amount of material. According to estimates, in order to build it, it will be necessary to “disassemble” not only the Earth, but also the rest of the planets of the Solar System, including Jupiter and Saturn. But even in this case, the material will only be enough for a sphere that has a wall thickness of only a few meters, that is, compared to its size, it will be ephemeral.
However, the authors of most concepts cannot explain what kind of material it will eventually be, because it will mainly consist of hydrogen, helium and oxygen, and not of metals and silicates. In addition, it is unclear where people will live during construction.
4. What is a Dyson Swarm
The other big problem with the Dyson sphere is its strength. And it’s not even a small thickness. Even if it were a kilometer thick, internal stresses, uneven heating and many other factors would tear it to pieces.
Therefore, recently this gigantic structure has been presented not as a single colossal surface, but as a huge number of space stations which orbits are consistent with each other, so that they form a very dense, but not a continuous sphere.
5. Has the Dyson sphere been found
If most advanced civilizations live inside Dyson spheres, then it will be very difficult to establish this. After all, the stars around which they are built will be almost invisible in the optical range, and only increased brightness in other parts of the spectrum can “give them away”.
In 2015, astronomers discovered that the object KIC 8462852, also known as “Tabby’s star”, demonstrates powerful and non-periodic drops in brightness. Based on this, many concluded that it was surrounded by an unfinished Dyson sphere. Subsequent observations have not been able to clarify the nature of the abnormal changes. However, the absence of artificial signals from this object casts doubt on the hypothesis of such a structure.
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