←back to thread

214 points SkyMarshal | 3 comments | | HN request time: 0.618s | source
Show context
foxes ◴[] No.28231293[source]
Taking this one step further, you could build an immensely powerful bomb/superweapon/mega space engine. Cover the inside of the Dyson spheres with mirrors then fire a laser inside. The black hole provides the perfect source to ramp up the energy before you could unleash it in a (un)directed way.
replies(1): >>28231538 #
adrianN ◴[] No.28231538[source]
It's pretty hard to make mirrors that work at very high energy densities. We don't know how to make gamma ray mirrors for example, and even for longer wavelengths we don't have perfect mirrors.
replies(1): >>28231758 #
snet0 ◴[] No.28231758[source]
Harder than making a Dyson sphere around a black hole?
replies(2): >>28231818 #>>28231830 #
1. kevingadd ◴[] No.28231830[source]
A perfect mirror is a materials challenge and potentially a fundamental physics challenge. In comparison we already know roughly how to do the math to figure out how far the surface of your sphere would need to be from the center of a sun or black hole in order to harvest energy (via whatever method) without collapsing, based on the strength of the materials at our disposal. Of course the materials we have might not be strong enough, but it's possible to push the sphere out until we can build it without it collapsing (and then the issue is collecting enough raw material). And given that solar panels work fine on earth, a dyson sphere can only improve solar panel efficiency even if its surface has to be very very far away due to materials challenges.

In comparison, if you can't get your mirror close enough to perfect, the whole idea doesn't work - the laser will be absorbed or diffused too much by the mirror, or the mirror will be damaged from the energy, etc.

replies(1): >>28232018 #
2. beecafe ◴[] No.28232018[source]
The solar panels efficiency has to be higher than the mirror's to not just melt in the same way.
replies(1): >>28246862 #
3. kevingadd ◴[] No.28246862[source]
A perfect mirror would be reflecting all the light in one direction, which is more difficult than reflecting it in any direction