Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2024
billions of years by intense flows of radiationandlethalparticles,capa- bleofstrippingthoseplanetsoftheir possible atmospheres. Even if they managedtoretaintheiratmosphere, the tidal forces of the red dwarf would almost certainly force these planets to always turn the same hemisphere towards the star (the length of the day and the year are thenthesame),withtheresultbeing thepoweringofdevastatingwinds. If the arguments against the seven candidates found by Suazo’s team are not convincing enough, even more convincing are those argu- mentsagainsttheveryexistenceof Dysonspheres.Firstly,theirexistence washypothesizedinahistoricalcon- textcharacterizedbyanexponential acceleration of global energy con- sumption,mainlyduetorapidtech- nological-industrialdevelopmentand theincreaseintheworldpopulation. Extrapolating thesetrends tosome distantfuture,itwasreasonableto expectinthe1960sthatEarth’sre- sources would sooner-or-later no longerbesufficientandthathuman- ity would have to then exploit the solarsystem’smainsourceofenergy moreandmoreintensely.Today,we knowthatthegrowingefficiencyof technologies,theminiaturizationof components, and the development of nanotechnologies allow for in- creasingenergysavings.Thegrowth trendoftheworldpopulationisalso expectedtoslowsignificantlybythe end of this century. Inadditiontothehistoricalcontext, Dysonmayhavebeenmisledbyhis approximate calculations on the amountofmaterialneededtomake the spheres. More recent assess- mentsrevealthattocollectjust10% of the solar energy at the Earth’s distance, it would be necessary to buildamegastructurewithasurface area equal to1 billionEarths. If that megastructure,tomakeithabitable, were 10 km thick, the equivalent of one million Earths of solid material would be needed to build it. Ourown solar system contains approxi- mately100Earthsofsolidmaterial− it would therefore be necessary to dismantle another 10,000 planetary systemssimilartooursandtransport all the material here! By giving up habitability and accepting the sacri- ficeof“only”ourplanets,themate- rial available might be enough for a sphere with a radius of 1 astronomi- calunitandathicknessofjust1me- ter. We are clearly in the realm of technological fiction. The search for Dyson spheres does not seem to be the best path to demonstrate that there is intelligent lifeintheuniverse.Perhapsitsexis- tence (as Bill Watterson points out above in Calvin & Hobbes) can be demonstrated by the fact that no onehascontactedusyet. ﻣﺠﻠﺔ FreeAstronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ 11 ة ا أن ا أ أ و د ة ذ ن آ ا ن أن ول ا ل أً . اﻟﺴـﻨ ﻣـﻦ ﺧـﻼل ﺗـﺪﻓﻘﺎت ﻣﻜﺜﻔـﺔ ﻣـﻦ اﻹﺷﻌﺎع واﻟﺠﺴﻴﻤﺎت اﻟﻘﺎﺗﻠﺔ ا ﻟﻘـﺎدرة ﻋـﲆ ﺗﺠﺮﻳﺪ ﺗﻠـﻚ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛـﺐ ﻣـﻦ ﻏﻼﻓﻬـﺎ اﻟﺠـﻮي ا ﺤﺘﻤﻞ . ﺣﺘﻰ ﻟﻮ ﺗ ﻤﻜﻨﺖ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺤﻔـﺎظ ﻋـﲆ ﻏﻼﻓﻬﺎ اﻟﺠﻮي ﻓﻤﻦ ﺷﺒﻪ ا ﺆﻛﺪ أن ﻗﻮى ا ـﺪ واﻟﻘﺰم اﻷﺣﻤﺮ ﺳﺘﺠﱪ ﻫـﺬه اﻟﻜﻮاﻛـﺐ ﻋـﲆ اﻟﺪوران داﺋﻤًﺎ ﰲ ﻧﻔﺲ ﻧﺼﻒ اﻟﻜـﺮة ﺑﺎﺗﺠـﺎه اﻟ ) ﻨﺠﻢ ﻃﻮل اﻟﻴﻮم واﻟﺴﻨﺔ ﻣﺘﺴﺎوﻳﺎن ( ﻣﻤـﺎ ﻳﺆدي إﱃ ﻗﻮة رﻳﺎح ﻣﺪ . ﻣﺮة إذا ﻛﺎﻧﺖ اﻟﺤﺠ ﺞ ﺿﺪ ا ﺮﺷﺤ ﺎت اﻟﺴﺒﻊ اﻟ ﺘﻲ ﺎ وﺟﺪﻫ ﻓﺮﻳﻖ ﺳ ﻮازو ﻟﻴﺴﺖ ﻣﻘﻨﻌﺔ ﺑﻤﺎ ﻓﻴـﻪ اﻟﻜﻔﺎﻳﺔ ﻓﺈن اﻷﻛﺜﺮ إﻗﻨﺎﻋﺎ ﻫﻲ ﺗﻠـﻚ اﻟﺤﺠـﺞ ﺿﺪ وﺟﻮد داﻳﺴﻮﻧﺴﻔ . أوﻻ ﺗﻢ اﻓﱰاض وﺟﻮدﻫﺎ ﰲ ﺳـﻴﺎق ﺗـﺎرﻳﺨﻲ ﻳﺘﺴﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺴﺎرع ا ﺘﺴﺎرع ﻻﺳﺘﻬﻼك اﻟﻄﺎﻗـﺔ اﻟﻌـﺎ ﻲ وﻳﺮﺟـﻊ ذﻟـﻚ أﺳﺎﺳـﺎ إﱃ اﻟﺘﻄــﻮر اﻟﺘﻜﻨ ﻮﻟﻮﺟﻲ واﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﻲ اﻟ ـ ﻳﻊ واﻟﺰﻳﺎدة ﰲ ﴪ ﻋﺪد ﺳﻜﺎن اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ . وﺑﺎﺳـﺘﻘﺮاء ﻫـﺬه اﻻﺗﺠﺎﻫـﺎت ﰲ ا ﺴـﺘﻘﺒﻞ اﻟﺒﻌﻴــﺪ ﻛــﺎن ﻣــﻦ ا ﻌﻘــﻮل أن ﻧﺘﻮﻗــﻊ ﰲ اﻟﺴﺘﻴﻨﻴﺎت أن ﻣﻮارد اﻷرض ﻟﻦ ﺗﻜﻮن ﻛﺎﻓﻴـﺔ اﻻن او ﻻﺣﻘﺎُ ﴩﻳﺔ ـ وأن اﻟﺒ ـــــ اﻻن او ﻻﺣﻘﺎُ ﴩﻳﺔ ـ وأن اﻟﺒ ﺳﺘﻀـﻄﺮ ﺑﻌـﺪ ذﻟﻚ إﱃ اﺳﺘﻐﻼل ا ﺼﺪر اﻟﺮﺋﻴﴘ ﻟﻠﻄﺎﻗـﺔ ﰲ اﻟﻨﻈﺎم اﻟ ـ ﺸﻤﴘ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻣﻜﺜﻒ أﻛﺜﺮ وأﻛﺜﺮ . أﻣﺎ ﰲ ﻋﺎ ﻨﺎ اﻟﻴﻮم ﻓـﻨﺤﻦ ﻧﻌﻠـﻢ أن اﻟﻜﻔـﺎءة ا ﺘﺰاﻳﺪ ة ﻟﻠﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎت وﺗﺼﻐ ا ﻜﻮﻧﺎت وﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮ ﺗﻘﻨﻴﺎت اﻟﻨﺎﻧﻮ ﺗﺴﻤﺢ ﺑﺰﻳﺎدة ﺗﻮﻓ اﻟﻄﺎﻗﺔ . وﻣ ـﻦ ا ﺘﻮﻗــﻊ أﻳﻀ ًـﺎ أن ﻳﺘﺒﺎﻃــﺄ اﻻﺗﺠ ـﺎه اﻟﺴﻜﺎﻧﻲ ﰲ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﺑﺸـﻜﻞ ﻣﻠﺤـﻮظ ﺑﺤﻠـﻮل ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺔ ﻫﺬا اﻟﻘﺮن . ﺑﺎﻹﺿـﺎﻓﺔ إﱃ اﻟﺴـﻴﺎق اﻟﺘـﺎرﻳﺨﻲ رﺑﻤـﺎ ﺗــﻢ ﺗﻀﻠﻴﻞ داﻳﺴﻮن ﺑﺤﺴﺎﺑﺎﺗﻪ اﻟﺘﻘ ﺮﻳﺒﻴﺔ ﻟﻜﻤﻴـﺔ ا ﻮاد اﻟﻼزﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﻘﻴﺎم ﺑ ﺼﻨﻊ اﻟﻜﺮات وﺗﻜﺸﻒ اﻟﺘﻘﻴﻴﻤﺎت اﻷﺣﺪث أﻧﻪ ﻣﻦ أﺟﻞ ﺟﻤـﻊ 10 % ﻓﻘﻂ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻄﺎﻗﺔ اﻟﺸﻤﺴﻴﺔ ﻋﲆ ﺑﻌـﺪ اﻟﻜـﺮة اﻷرﺿﻴﺔ ﺳﻴﻜﻮن ﻣﻦ اﻟ ـ ﴬوري ﺑﻨﺎء ﻫﻴﻜﻞ ﺿﺨﻢ ﺗﺒﻠﻎ ﻣﺴﺎﺣﺔ ﺳﻄﺤﻪ ﻣﻠﻴﺎر أرض . إذا ﻛﺎن ﺳﻤﻚ ﻫـﺬا اﻟﻬﻴﻜـﻞ اﻟﻌﻤـﻼق ﺣﺘـﻰ ﻳﺼﺒﺢ ﺻﺎﻟﺤ ﺎً ﻟﻠﺤﻴﺎة ﻛﻤﺎ ﻧﻌﺮﻓﻬﺎ ﻳﺒﻠﻎ ﺣﻮاﱄ 10 ﻛﻴﻠﻮﻣﱰات ﻋﻨﺪﻫﺎ ﺳﺘﻜﻮن ﻫﻨﺎك ﺣﺎﺟـﺔ إﱃ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻌﺎدل ﻣﻠﻴﻮن ﻛﺮة أرﺿـﻴﺔ ﻣـﻦ ا ـﻮاد اﻟﺼﻠﺒﺔ ﻟ ﻠﻘﻴﺎم ﺑ . ﺒﻨﺎﺋﻪ إن ﻧﻈﺎﻣﻨﺎ اﻟﺸﻤﴘ ﻳﺤﺘﻮي ﻋﲆ ﻣـﺎ ﻳﻘـﺮب ﻣﻦ 100 ﻛﺮة ارﺿﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ا ﻮاد اﻟﺼﻠﺒﺔ ﻟـﺬﻟﻚ ﺳﻴﻜﻮن ﻣـﻦ اﻟـ ـ ﴬوري اﻟﻘﻴـﺎم ﺑ ﺘﻔﻜﻴـﻚ 10,000 ﻧﻈﺎم ﻛﻮﻛﺒﻲ آﺧﺮ ﻣﻤﺎﺛـﻞ ﻟﻨﻈﺎﻣﻨـﺎ وﻧﻘﻞ ﺟﻤﻴﻊ ﺗﻠﻚ ا ﻮاد ! ﻫﻨﺎ إﱃ وﻋﻠﻴﻨﺎ اﻟﺘﺨﲇ ﻋﻦ ﻓﻜـﺮة اﻟﺼـ ﻟﻠﺤﻴـﺎة ﺣﻴﺔ ﻼ ﻗﺒﻮل و اﻟﺘﻀﺤﻴﺔ « ﻓﻘﻂ» ﺑﻜﻮاﻛﺒﻨﺎ ﻓﺈن ا ﻮاد ا ﺘﺎﺣﺔ ﻗﺪ ﺗﻜﻮن ﻛﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﻟﺼـﻨﻊ ﻛـﺮة ﻧﺼـﻒ ﻗﻄﺮﻫﺎ وﺣﺪة ﻓ ﻠﻜﻴﺔ واﺣـﺪة وﺳـﻤﻜﻬﺎ ﻣـﱰ واﺣﺪ ﻓﻘﻂ ﻟﺬﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻮاﺿﺢ أﻧﻨﺎ ﰲ ﰲ ﻧﻌﻴﺶ ﻣﻦ ﻋﺎﻟﻢ اﻟﺨﻴﺎل اﻟﺘﻘﻨﻲ ﻋﻤﻮﻣﺎ ﻗﺪ ﻻ ﻳﺒـﺪو أن اﻟﻘﻴـﺎم ﺑ ﺎﻟﺒﺤـﺚ ﻋـﻦ ﻛﺮات داﻳﺴﻮن ﻫـﻮ أﻓﻀـﻞ ﻃﺮﻳـﻖ ﻹﺛﺒـﺎت وﺟﻮد ﺣﻴﺎة ذﻛﻴﺔ اﺧﺮى ﰲ اﻟﻜـﻮن اﻟﻔﺴـﻴﺢ ﻣﻦ ﺣﻮﻟﻨﺎ ﻟﻜـﻦ و رﺑﻤـﺎ ﻧـﺘﻤﻜﻦ ﻣـﻦ إﺛﺒـﺎت ) وﺟﻮدﻫﺎ ﻛﻤﺎ أﺷﺎر ﺑﻴﻞ واﺗﺮﺳـﻮن أﻋـﻼه ﰲ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﻪ ﻛﺎﻟﻔ وﻫﻮﺑﺰ ﺿﻤﻦ ﺳﻠﺴﻠﺔ ﻗﺼـﺺ ﻛﺮﺗﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻓﻜﺎﻫﻴﺔ ( أﻋﺘﻘﺪ أن اﻟﻌﻼﻣﺔ اﻷﻛﻴـﺪة ﻋﲆ وﺟﻮد ﺣﻴﺎة ذﻛﻴـﺔ ﰲ ﻣ ﻜـﺎن آﺧـﺮ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻜﻮن ﻫﻲ أن أﻳـﺎً ﻣـﻦ ﺗﻠـﻚ ا ﺨﻠﻮﻗـﺎت ﻟـﻢ ﻳﺤﺎول اﻻﺗﺼﺎل ﺑﻨﺎ - ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ ﺃﻛﺘﻮﺑﺮ 2 0 2 4
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