Although extraterrestrial megastructures could take any number of forms, the most frequently discussed type of megastructure is the Dyson sphere. Named for Freeman Dyson, who popularized the notion in a 1960 paper, Dyson structures partially or entirely surround a star for the purpose of harvesting its energy output. Dyson spheres and other Kardashev Type 2 megastructure projects are theorized as a response to the escalating energy requirements of an advanced planetary civilization.
As a civilization expands, it may build multiple Dyson structures, utlimately creating a relative darkening effect as visible starlight is depleted in its vicinity. Such an effect is known...
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Although extraterrestrial megastructures could take any number of forms, the most frequently discussed type of megastructure is the Dyson sphere. Named for Freeman Dyson, who popularized the notion in a 1960 paper, Dyson structures partially or entirely surround a star for the purpose of harvesting its energy output. Dyson spheres and other Kardashev Type 2 megastructure projects are theorized as a response to the escalating energy requirements of an advanced planetary civilization.
As a civilization expands, it may build multiple Dyson structures, utlimately creating a relative darkening effect as visible starlight is depleted in its vicinity. Such an effect is known as a Fermi bubble or Fermi void, named for physicist Enrico Fermi.
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