

Kardashev scale - tshtf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardashev_scale

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iqster
One of the coolest sci-fi ideas related to the scale is that of a Dyson Sphere
(a megastructure that surronds a star to collect it's energy). I recall
personally encountering the idea for the first time in a Star Trek episode.
The wikipedia article mentions it. Sends a chill down my spine.

Edit: Here's a link to the ST-TNG episode:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Gen...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics_\(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation\))

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nitrogen
Is a Dyson sphere or swarm even possible? It seems to me that the sun's
gravity could collapse the sphere, since it wouldn't actually be _orbiting_. A
swarm has similar problems: is it possible to orbit within an orbital plane
that doesn't intersect the center of gravity of the sun?

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amalcon
Dyson's original concept was basically to completely obscure the star in a
cloud of satellites. It would be a little inefficient, insofar as some
satellites would obscure others at any given time, but it's at least
physically possible.

There's been some speculation that the integrity of a Dyson shell (the thing
most people know as a Dyson sphere) could be maintained by basically running
large masses in orbits along the shell. Again, it would be a little
inefficient (you're using some of the star's energy to power "not
collapsing"), but we don't necessarily know it's impossible.

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kabdib
I also recommend _Stellar Migration and the Human Experience_, which is chock
full of stuff about Dyson spheres, "star lifting" (reducing a star's mass to
prolong its life), and discussion of starship design.

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electromagnetic
That book was a great piece. The information was fantastic, I can't believe I
left it behind when I moved country, and even more I regret it because I've
seen people trying to sell copies for $150 when I bought it for $5 new.

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bane
This scale can be a wonderful focal point to explore different kinds of energy
technologies. Once it gets to type I, the mega-structures we think would be
required stir the imagination.

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lukifer
Also worth a link: Greydon Square's excellent science-themed hip-hop album of
the same name: <http://greydonsquare.bandcamp.com/album/the-kardashev-scale>

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burgerbrain
This scale is very cool and all, but speculation about when we will acheive
these levels is a guessing game. In the very least it ignores the possibility
of a technological singularity, beyond which speculation becomes impossible.

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phrotoma
I agree about the guessing game, but games are fun! I spent a good long while
reading this site that speculates on all sorts of cool future achievements.

<http://www.futuretimeline.net/>

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Jsarokin
Ive just spent the last two hours reading all the links that were posted on
here. Future Timeline is an awesome site.

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drKarl
I first read about Kardashev Scale on Michio Kaku's Parallel worlds. Nice
starting point to speculation!!

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collypops
I love that the example of Type I is a synopsis of Stargate Universe

