Building a “Dyson Sphere” will be the pinnacle of our civilization.
The ultimate goal. A human race so advanced that will be harnessing Sun’s energy to the fullest. In the Kardashev scale, a civilization that achieves this becomes a Type-II civilization, with the ability to control energy within the solar system. After that, it is galactic expansion next.
The Dyson Sphere is a fictional design that encompasses the Sun and provides an infinite energy resource for humanity.
It is a theoretical mega-structure conceived by physicist Freeman Dyson. This construction, (if it is ever created or exists in the universe), would be massive enough to surround the star of the solar system, providing unlimited energy resources to the space civilization that achieves it.
We find a Dyson Sphere depicted in Sci-Fi TV-Series: Star Trek TNG as the Enterprise’s first encounter with such a mega-structure (Episode: “Relics) and captain Picard explains:
Today, this seems to be an impossible task for humanity and perhaps will be out of reach for many generations.
Should We Stop Dreaming About The Future Of Our Race?
As human beings, we are visionary and often set the standards too high, set goals that seem unachievable. Everywhere topics like this are raised, cynics will rush to disprove that any technology like that will never be achieved.
Most scientists, architects, and analysts rush to debacle the theory and the possibility of the creation of such a structure.
If we were listening to the logic of pessimists, we would still live in caves and develop nothing instead.
Of course, we are nowhere near a Dyson Sphere today. Is it not worth it to dream about the future, though? We shouldn’t limit the goals of our race, but keep pushing to the stars.
What is science fiction today is the inspiration for future pioneers. Science Fiction is not a modern writing field (see: A True Story, by Lucian, 2nd century A.D.). We were always looking for the stars and wondering how to reach there.
As kids, we learn we went to the moon, and we have this amazing technology today that our ancestors wouldn’t believe was going to be possible if we told them. Of course, the subject of this topic is very far from current technology, but possible in the distant future.
Maybe we will not live long enough to see human colonies on Mars within our lifetime, but a thousand years from now, we expect that humanity would have expanded in our solar system. With colonies of hundreds of millions and technology at unimaginable levels.
Blockchain Will Be Embedded with AI
When discussing blockchains, we should remember the fact that these networks require certain criteria and as the original vision of Bitcoin’s blockchain (as created by Satoshi Nakamoto), the blockchain will have to be:
Permissionless
Immutable
Secure
Decentralized
Most decentralized blockchains lack efficiency while scaling to massive adoption levels. The issue of scaling becomes easier to handle as technology advances without any loss of security or decentralization. There are blockchain networks today that achieved this to a high degree. Complete decentralization still seems impossible for the time being, however, it will become a necessary condition.
Proof of work secures the network. The more fragmented the total hash-rate of the network is, the better decentralization the network is experiencing. This way, control by a certain party or organization is eliminated. Decentralization reduces the chances of one network participant gaining too much power and becoming able to hijack. While decentralization in mining is important, it is equally important to have decentralized consensus in all different parts of the network (such as in development).
The cryptocurrency blockchain networks (those with the highest standards of decentralization) can also be autonomous, having no leader or chain of command but strictly following consensus rules and acting towards achieving a common goal.
How will AI behave together with future blockchains?
With AI, the common goal described above will be constantly achieved with more efficiency, less cost, and in less time. AI will keep improving efficiency requirements.
Advanced blockchain AI networks will be a mixture of the current blockchain database architecture, Artificial Intelligence algorithms based on supply chain management, predictions mechanisms, augmented reality and will find application in the field of Robotics, for the construction of modern technical wonders.
Blockchains can help AI by providing autonomous networks with clusters of smart contracts. AI will require a non-centralized environment to enhance its capabilities. However, when centralization applies, there could be destructive consequences. Such a powerful industrial system will need decentralization to avoid the seizure of control by any certain faction, party, or organization.
Future AI entities, operating inside a decentralized blockchain, can only compete to improve towards a certain goal, set by consensus. A secure network with targets set for certain production will enhance AI and give it a certain purpose, under pre-defined criteria (consensus rules). Operating outside of consensus rules is rogue behavior, and the blockchain excludes malicious participants.
In a planetary scale operation such as a Dyson Sphere construction, even a fraction of a second saved would be of utmost importance, since the same operations will require to be repeated quadrillions of times. There will be a requirement of constant peak efficiency, instant times, and zero cost for most operations. Self-sustained and automated robotics will also require AI to operate, repair, improve, and adapt to changes.
The logistics of a structure of such a size will require mining entire planets of their resources. There is simply not enough material on our planet, but one different planet itself will have to be mined to a disintegration level, within hundreds of years, to obtain the vast amount of materials that will be required.
The industrial operation required for a Dyson Sphere will be mega-structures on their own, harvesting the material of the planet and producing the Dyson Sphere components.
In Conclusion
It is a very distant dream. Maybe it will be a possibility one thousand years from now. Humanity will reach such an advanced state that it will be an achievable accomplishment, but perhaps first we should consider finding more achievable goals.
There are steps at everything and a “Star Trek” universe contains thousands of alien races besides humanity. We don’t have any evidence there are more races out there, and reaching another solar system with today’s technology is impossible.
A Dyson Sphere, though, is more probable than humanity reaching to another Solar System and finding other intelligent beings.
Probably colonizing and terraforming Mars seems to be an easier task, and our hopes are towards developing the advancements to escape our planet and become civilization expanded in the stars.
The current technologies will be combined with new advancements. Maybe advanced blockchains incorporated with modern developments will be seriously required for the construction of mega-structures.
Decentralized Artificial Intelligence Organizations will help humanity achieve long-term goals. AI will need to function under certain criteria, but also will require the decentralization aspect to advance.
Originally published at: Hive - Proof of Brain
Notes:
* There is nothing scientifically valid within this post. It is some thoughts about the future. I haven't done vast research on the topics but maybe thought that the crude form of decentralized blockchains we have today, will advance and become more popular within space exploration and construction. It offers advantages to previous centralized logistics management, and with autonomous systems, advanced smart contracts, and the progress with AI, when these technologies combine efficiently could be adopted for logistic purposes, for the creation of a solar megastructure, such as the Dyson Sphere. Science fiction for today though.
There is also a game called Dyson Sphere, I haven't tested it yet since I have limited time for PC games right now, but if readers got their hands on it, I would love to read a short review.
Images:
Lead Image from: Wikimedia Commons, Flickr
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Kudos to you!👏 My role model... though I didn't understand most of this theories in your article because I'm not a science person but little I understand is more than what I don't understand to me. Thanks for the awareness and explanation of the "Dyson sphere"