SALT LAKE CITY — The Royal Astronomical Society has published a study claiming it may have found evidence of alien megastructures.
Researchers said these megastructures could be objects theorized by the late theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson. Essentially, the megastructures are spheres built around a star to capture all of its energy.
Patrick Wiggins, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador in Utah, said the idea of these so-called Dyson spheres was “a really great idea, but … totally impractical with the technology we have.”
In the 1960s, Dyson proposed that aliens could obtain energy by creating a sphere around a star.
What is an alien megastructure?
“With a Dyson sphere, you basically build a sphere around your solar system. That way, it sucks up all the sun’s energy,” Wiggins said.
“I mean, right now we can only convert all the solar energy into electricity, that’s everything that’s on your roof or in a field or something like that. But imagine if we could orbit the entire star and use all of its energy. That would be great, but we just don’t have the technology.”
Using infrared satellite images, researchers from the Royal Astronomical Society have discovered seven distant stars. These stars may be surrounded by Dyson spheres. However, Wiggins said there are simpler explanations for what the researchers saw.
“I think it’s a question of what is the simplest solution and the right one. And in this case, when you have a whole bunch of stuff orbiting a star. You know of junk that wasn’t put up there by any living things, but just natural stuff orbiting a star that could give the same result,” Wiggins said.
In addition, Wiggins said it could be star debris or some kind of asteroid field or similar formation.
“When a star forms planets, there’s usually this big ring of debris around the star, and that debris slowly over eons forms… planets and things like that. So maybe that’s what we’re seeing.”
challenges
The biggest challenge with a Dyson sphere, according to Wiggins, is the enormous size of the sphere itself.
“This sphere must be large enough to encompass all the planets that could harbor life, as well as the star.”
To illustrate, he says: “You could put about 1,300,000 Earths in the sun. So where would you get enough material to build one of these spheres?”
He said there was not enough material on Earth.
Evidence of the existence of a Dyson sphere would be evidence of intelligent, technologically advanced extraterrestrial life.
“I don’t want anyone to think I don’t believe aliens exist. I mean, I can’t prove it, but I’m just speaking for myself… I believe they’re out there,” Wiggins said.
“So I can’t prove it, but my point is that if they’re out there, they could have done it. But there are simpler explanations and until I see more convincing evidence to the contrary, I’m sticking with the simple explanation.”
Wiggins said he would like to be wrong.
“I want someone with real evidence to point to something and say this is a Dyson sphere because … that would prove we are not alone. I don’t want to be alone,” he said.
“I want to know that they’re out there, and since this is being broadcast on a very powerful frequency that goes out into space, I obviously want to say, ‘Hey, aliens, if you’re listening, I’m your PR representative, please come over and take me with you.'”
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