Dyson spheres, the hypothetical mega-structures that advanced alien civilizations might use to enclose a star and harness its energy, suffer from a fatal flaw: They are catastrophically unstable. But ...

In 1960, British theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson published a one-page paper in the journal Science that offered perhaps the most hopeful vision ever conceived of humanity’s technological future.

There are three ways to look for evidence of alien technological civilizations. One is to look out for deliberate attempts by them to communicate their existence, for example, through radio broadcasts ...

In 1960, visionary physicist Freeman Dyson proposed that an advanced alien civilization would someday quit fooling around with kindergarten-level stuff like wind turbines and nuclear reactors and ...

There are three ways to look for evidence of alien technological civilizations. One is to look out for deliberate attempts by them to communicate their existence, for example, through radio broadcasts ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. What would be the ...

As civilizations become more and more advanced, their power needs also increase. It's likely that an advanced civilization might need so much power that they enclose their host star in solar ...

Back in the 1800s, in the halcyon days of evidence-free speculation on life in the universe, the Scottish “natural theologist” Thomas Dick famously proposed that our solar system could harbor about 22 ...

Simon Goodwin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...