News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Where are they? Why I hope the search for ET life finds nothing (2008). Parent comment

Re:Where are they? Why I hope the search for ET life finds n... by ludos on Wednesday November 21, 2018 @08:59AM (#18502679)
Isnt the purpose of a Dyson sphere to keep all Energy inside? If thats the case, how would you detect such a sphere?

Maybe that's where the dark matter is. 80% of the universe, packed into small Dyson Spheres, where live is sprawling and we just cant see it. ;-)

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Where are they? Why I hope the search for ET life finds n... by brazzy on Thursday November 22, 2018 @08:33AM (#18509886)
> Isnt the purpose of a Dyson sphere to keep all Energy inside?

No, because that would be both impossible (see "black body radiation") and useless. The purpose is to use all energy produced by the star. But "using" energy doesn't mean it's gone (see conservation of energy) or that you have to trap it. What it really means is you want to use the low entropy inherent in a concentrated source of energy to perform work.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Where are they? Why I hope the search for ET life finds n... by HappySweeney on Wednesday November 21, 2018 @10:51AM (#18503530)
They would glow in infrared.
[ Parent | on HN ]