The Physics of Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations

http://www.mkaku.org/ ^ | unk | Michio Kaku

[BadAndy]

"With their energy output comparable to that of a small star, they should be visible from space. Dyson has proposed that a Type II civilization may even build a gigantic sphere around their star to more efficiently utilize its total energy output."

Why build a sphere around the planet? You could gather much more energy with a smaller collector nearer the sun.

[MHGinTN]

Warfare as we conceive of it would have been shifted to warring against the restrictions of physics; war would have to be eliminated for a Type I to advance to Type II. Think of the obliteration capabilities of a true Type I civilization! ~

[MHGinTN]

"There are potentially civilizations out there that had our technology 10 billion years ago ... " Not likely since it is the hydrogen based stars (in the beginning of star formation, that's all there were) that built the first larger elements and were dispersed throughout space, to later re-form as planets and moons, etc ... at least a several billion year exercise.

[Eaker]

Bump to read at home.

[Robert A Cook PE]

One small correction here. He shouldhave written" "But already, we can see the seeds of a Type I HELL.

We see the beginning of a planetary language (English), a planetary communication system (the Internet), a planetary economy (the forging of the European Union), and even the beginnings of a planetary culture (via mass media, TV, rock music, and Hollywood films).

I, for one, see no virtue in either a move towards the EU nor the "global" Hollyweird culture.

[Robert A Cook PE]

See, you're not supposed to EVER image our dead Western European male culture is the most advanced in the universe!

Say it isn't so!

[Michael Barnes]

over here..

[dead]

Our entire galaxy is more insignificant than a single grain of sand in the grand scheme of things.

No, a single grain of sand is more insignificant in the grand scheme of things than our galaxy.

Our galaxy is exactly as insignificant as a galaxy in the grand scheme of things, which is not very significant.

[chuckwalla]

You mean you have no evidence. If they didn't show up for you does that mean that no-one else has seen them?
I've seen ships flying around the desert and there is no way we made them. No wings, no noise, moving too slow for aerodynamics of lift and so on.
Perhaps they are so much more advanced than us that we would not recognize them.
To think that we are the absolute pinnacle of intelligence in the universe is depressing.
Perhaps they have moved way beyond conflict and are able to harmonize with us in such a way as to be invisible to us.
We seem to recognize by conflict most of the time.
We think they must be very different from us but what if they are not.

[helper]

I think you are on to something about not lasting long. In fact I think we are almost to that point. Did you notice how badly people were affected by Isabell & The northeast blackout. I wonder what percentage would be able to survive if the power never came back on, and no one cleaned up the mess.

[RightWingAtheist]

Micho Kaku is a fine writer (Visions) and a dynamic, fascinating speaker (just watch him the next time he makes a TV appearence, or rent the documentary Me and Isaac Newston). However, a small caveat-he was also the most prominent scientist to appear at organized protests against the launcing of the Cassini space probe (because it contained plutonium) AND along with Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley, and other intellectual luminaries, petitioned(successfuly, alas) for the shutting down of Brookhaven's main reactor.

Incidentally, the John Barrow (no "s" at the end) mentioned in the article is not just a first-rate cosmologist and science writer, he's also a die-hard conservative.

[Michael Barnes]

Had no clue...thanks for the heads up..

[Mark17]

Klaatu Barada Nikto

Is that you Gort?

[chuckwalla]

Once it was discovered that Gort's ray could be tuned to kill termites he has been so busy he doesn't answer calls anymore.

[Mark17]

I guess I was dating myself somewhat huh? Do you work in a Cal joint named Chuckawalla?

[chuckwalla]

I love visiting a cal area called the chuckwalla mountains.
Actually that movie was based on stories that Eisenhower had made agreements with aliens to tone down our nuclear space race that threatened other worlds. Very close to the movie.
We(the gov) would allow travel in and out of certain bases to study us and for us to learn from them in exchange for keeping their presence secret from the masses of excitable people.
Apparently we have learned much from them.

[Junior]

That's all very Star Trek utopian, and all, but face it, in 5500 years of recorded history (and from the evidence left over from prehistory), human nature has not changed. We still divide ourselves into groups and compete with other groups for territory, resources, or more esoteric reasons. This isn't going to change even once we harness the power of the planet. There will still be countries, or at least people disatisfied with the current status quo and willing to commit violence to change it. The same will hold true for Type III civilizations (I keep picturing the Star Wars universe when I picture a Type III civilization).

[At _War_With_Liberals]

And the odds are that a real Spock and Capt Kirk exist somewhere in the universe.

[Poohbah]

Verging into science fiction here, the Ringworld is a half-way step before the construction of a Dyson sphere. Instead of a sphere, a ring is built which circles a star. The advantages are that it requires significantly less mass, it can spin to simulate artificial gravity, and spacecraft don't need to launch from the surface, they can be slingshotted off the rim. An interesting mental excercise, such as this article, but highly speculative.

Someone pointed out that if there was a Kardashev Type II civilization out there, we'd notice. Imagine thirty gazillion cell phones, radio stations, wireless networks, et cetera, running full blast.

It would be like sitting next to Radio Raheem on the subway--you couldn't help but notice.

[Museum Twenty]

bump for later