The concept of Dyson spheres, proposed by Freeman Dyson in the 1960s, suggests advanced civilizations could build structures around stars for energy harnessing. Despite the potential visibility of these megastructures from light-years away, research indicates they might self-destruct. Brian Lacki of the Breakthrough Listen Initiative posits that collisions among satellite-like objects within a Dyson sphere could lead to catastrophic failure. This mirrors the risks faced by satellites around Earth, raising concerns about the sustainability of such structures as civilizations advance.
"When you have a whole bunch of things moving together like that in a swarm, a natural question is going to be, do they sometimes bump into each other?" Lacki told New Scientist. "At their orbital speeds, that can be disastrous."
Experts have warned that it's only a matter of time until a collision could trigger a catastrophe.
According to Lacki, aliens would have to tread very carefully to ensure that satellites aren't crossing each other's paths.
Dyson spheres may destroy themselves long before we can encounter one.
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