Dyson Spheres

Artists rendition of a Dyson Sphere

Throughout history, our inflection points coincide with energy revolutions; humans finding new and efficient ways of harnessing energy.

The agricultural revolution created vasts amounts of food, and that energy can be consumed and transformed into human or animal power.

During the industrial revolution we learned how to harness the power of the steam engine.

Physicists then discovered electrical energy, then they discovered how to split the atom, propelling us into the nuclear age.

For us to keep progressing forward we need to find new ways to efficiently and effectively harness energy.

The ultimate energy source is the sun. The sun produces more energy in one hour then all the energy produced on earth in a year [1]. But can we capture the energy of the sun?

One answer from physicist Freeman Dyson, is called a Dyson sphere. A Dyson sphere is a concept of a megastructure that surrounds the sun, harnessing the power of the star. This concept is a thought experiment in how can we become a spacefaring civilization when the energy requirements exceed one’s home planet.

References

[1] Solar FAQs