E.T. Could Utilize Nearby Red Dwarfs by Harnessing Dyson Spheres

If there is extraterrestrial intelligent life out there – and it seems like everyone believes so these days – it could potentially be billions of years ahead of us. In our ongoing search for techno-signatures, which refers to the quest for large-scale alien astro-engineering projects, a hypothetical Dyson sphere comes to mind. Such a sphere, first proposed by the late physicist Freeman Dyson, could potentially tap into a star’s energy in unimaginable ways. Its applications include powering immense supercomputers, creating artificial habitats, propelling spacecraft, or facilitating advanced interstellar communication.

However, according to Swedish astronomer Erik Zackrisson, intelligent aliens might not even choose to harness energy from the star they reside around. Considering that about 75% of the stars in the Milky Way are M-type red dwarfs, it’s possible that extraterrestrial beings are utilizing the energy of one of these nearby diminutive stars as we speak. During a recent visit to Stockholm, Zackrisson shared his latest insights on this subject with me.

Zackrisson and his doctoral student, Matias Suazo, are currently studying the European Space Agency’s Gaia stellar catalog and infrared stellar catalogs to search for potential candidates for Dyson spheres. Starting with 5 million of the nearest stars, they have identified around 10 faint red dwarf stars that could potentially harbor these spheres. Although these stars are not well-known, the duo plans to publish a follow-up paper detailing further observations of these candidates in The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).

Why Would Aliens Choose a Red Dwarf as Their Source of Energy?

One reason could be the estimated lifetimes of red dwarfs, which range from tens of billions to tens of trillions of years. These stars represent an energy source that can span the age of the universe. As Zackrisson explained, aliens might simply harness a red dwarf because it is nearby.

How Can We Identify Dyson Spheres?

Zackrisson stated that Dyson spheres would appear dim in the optical range but bright in the infrared spectrum, which is the first clue in their detection. However, he pointed out that natural astronomical objects can exhibit similar behavior, especially young stars that are surrounded by glowing dust in the infrared, which blocks some of their optical light. Additionally, Zackrisson mentioned that even highly advanced aliens would produce waste energy when converting one form of energy to another. Therefore, a Dyson sphere would emit this waste energy as blackbody radiation, specifically in the infrared range.

Proving the detection of a Dyson sphere presents challenges because it involves identifying outliers in astronomical data. Zackrisson emphasized the difficulty in distinguishing between a Dyson sphere and extreme astrophysics that may be previously unseen. He suggested that using NASA’s Webb Space Telescope to obtain infrared spectra would help determine if there are any peaks, which could indicate the presence of dust instead of a Dyson sphere.

Designing a Search that Benefits Astronomy Regardless of the Result

Zackrisson highlighted the importance of conducting research that benefits astronomy, even if Dyson spheres are not detected or if there are database glitches. By utilizing existing databases, this research is cost-effective and accessible. However, it can be a time-consuming process. Zackrisson suggested the use of artificial intelligence to expedite the selection of candidate stars, reducing the manual effort required.

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