Dyson spheres in fiction
Encyclopedia
This is a listing of the use of the Dyson sphere
concept in popular fiction. For a discussion of the general concept and its history, see the main article
.
In science fiction
some additional fictional technologies are described to enhance convenience and possibilities. One of them is the use of "gravity generators" to bind an atmosphere to the interior surface of the sphere.
Variants in sizes are common, ranging from planetary spheres to galactic spheres.
Most fictional works depict the Dyson shell variant. Unless otherwise noted, that is the type of Dyson sphere
in the instances below.
" starring Keanu Reaves. They were not only sources of energy and light, but were also used as transports and "arks" for all the lifeforms on Earth.
Dyson sphere
A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
concept in popular fiction. For a discussion of the general concept and its history, see the main article
Dyson sphere
A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
.
In science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
some additional fictional technologies are described to enhance convenience and possibilities. One of them is the use of "gravity generators" to bind an atmosphere to the interior surface of the sphere.
Variants in sizes are common, ranging from planetary spheres to galactic spheres.
Most fictional works depict the Dyson shell variant. Unless otherwise noted, that is the type of Dyson sphere
Dyson sphere
A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
in the instances below.
Television
- The Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "Relics" - The crew of the USS Enterprise-D happens upon a full Dyson sphere when its gravitational fluctuations distort their warp field and bring them to a stop. Being further advanced than the Federation, the sphere's automatic systems pulled the ship through a door-equipped portal into the structure, revealing the majority of the shell inside was covered with habitable regions, including weather. Lieutenant Commander Data stated that the inside surface area was equal to "250 million class-M worlds." As the diameter of the sphere is given as being 200 million kilometers or two thirds the Earth's orbit around the sun this would indicate that the surface area of one "M-class world" is in fact equivalent to the Earth's surface area. About "Relics", Dyson said: "Actually it was sort of fun to watch it. It's all nonsense, but it's quite a good piece of cinema." - Gene RoddenberryGene RoddenberryEugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
's AndromedaAndromeda (TV series)Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt...
— the episodes "Its Hour Come Round At Last" and "The Widening Gyre" — The Magog Worldship. Several planetary objects with cave systems, physically locked in close proximity to a small sun, somewhat like the Dyson net variant of the Dyson sphere. - In Crest of the StarsCrest of the Starsis a three-volume space opera science fiction novel written by Hiroyuki Morioka with cover illustrations by Toshihiro Ono. Beginning in 1999, the novels were adapted into anime series, the first of which ran for 13 episodes on WOWOW...
, the capital of the Humankind Empire AbhAbhThe Abh are space-dwelling people in the fictional universe of Crest of the Stars. They are the rulers of an interstellar civilization with feudal government and social structure.- Definition:...
, Lakfakale, contains and is likely powered by a Dyson Swarm. - The Mighty Orbots Shadow StarShadow StarShadow Star, known in Japan as , which comes from the abbreviation of , is the name of a Japanese manga and of the anime series which was based on the manga. The series was created by Mohiro Kitoh and was originally serialized in the magazine Afternoon. When asked about the manga, Mohiro Kitoh...
employed by Umbra and its minions was depicted very much as transitional form of a solid shelled Dyson Sphere, though it was shown as having gaps and voids through which some measure of light escaped into outer space. It appeared to be a large planet with some parts of its surface torn away and others still connected in a rough analog Earth's own continental plates. - The Mobile Suit Gundam 00Mobile Suit Gundam 00is an anime TV series, the eleventh incarnation of Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise consisting of two seasons. It is directed by Seiji Mizushima and written by Yōsuke Kuroda, and features character designs by Yun Kōga. The twenty-five episode season was officially announced by Sunrise...
anime series feature a Dyson Ring-like megastructure around Earth that diverts from the concept by being anchored to the Earth's surface via three orbital elevators located around the EquatorEquatorAn equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
in South America, Africa and South-East Asia. There are two rings in the structure: the smaller LEOLow Earth orbitA low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
ring that appears to be structural support for the orbital elevators and a larger MEOMeoMayo or Meo or Mewati is a prominent Muslim Rajput tribe from North-Western India. A considerable number of Meos migrated to Pakistan after independence in 1947 and now they are estimated to be over 12 million. In Pakistan, Meos have lost their distinct group identity and cultural traditions and...
ring filled to the brim with large, circular solar panels protected from space debrisSpace debrisSpace debris, also known as orbital debris, space junk, and space waste, is the collection of objects in orbit around Earth that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose. These objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to erosion, explosion...
by an energy field of some kind. Both rings are connected to the orbital elevators by large space stations utilizing centrifugal force for artificial gravityArtificial gravityArtificial gravity is the varying of apparent gravity via artificial means, particularly in space, but also on the Earth...
. It is mentioned in-series that the nearly century-long construction was motivated by the energy crisis sparked due to the depletion of fossil fuels; the upper orbital ring's solar power plant functions as an inexhaustible energy source. The orbital elevators only function as structural supports; energy transmissions are performed with microwave radiation directed at the planetary surface. Interestingly, the Earth's gravitational pull on the lower orbital ring is still enough to present a falling hazard: personnel performing EVAExtra-vehicular activityExtra-vehicular activity is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft. The term most commonly applies to an EVA made outside a craft orbiting Earth , but also applies to an EVA made on the surface of the Moon...
are required to stay away from the ring's edge without umbilical cables.
Movies
Dyson Spheres played a prominent role in the 2008 remake of "The Day the Earth Stood StillThe Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)
The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 2008 science fiction film, a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. The screenplay is based on the 1940 classic science fiction short story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, and the 1951 screenplay adaptation by Edmund H...
" starring Keanu Reaves. They were not only sources of energy and light, but were also used as transports and "arks" for all the lifeforms on Earth.
Literature
- Star MakerStar Maker-External links:*...
, by Olaf StapledonOlaf StapledonWilliam Olaf Stapledon was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.-Life:...
. The novel which inspired Freeman DysonFreeman DysonFreeman John Dyson FRS is a British-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician, famous for his work in quantum field theory, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering. Dyson is a member of the Board of Sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists...
to propose the concept of the Dyson sphereDyson sphereA Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
- he has suggested that "Stapledon sphere" would be a more accurate term for the technology. - The Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
novel The Starless World by Gordon EklundGordon EklundGordon Eklund is a Nebula Award-winning, American science fiction author whose works include the "Lord Tedric" series and two of the earliest original novels based on the 1960s Star Trek TV series. He has written under the pen name Wendell Stewart, and in one instance under the name of the late E. E...
. - The Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
novel Dyson Sphere by George ZebrowskiGeorge ZebrowskiGeorge Zebrowski is a science fiction author and editor who has written and edited a number of books. He lives with author Pamela Sargent, with whom he has co-written a number of novels, including Star Trek novels.Zebrowski won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1999 for his novel Brute Orbits...
, Charles R. PellegrinoCharles R. PellegrinoCharles R. Pellegrino is the controversial author of several books relating to science and archaeology, including Return to Sodom and Gomorrah, Ghosts of the Titanic, Unearthing Atlantis and Ghosts of Vesuvius....
. A follow-up to "Relics". - The novels OrbitsvilleOrbitsvilleOrbitsville , published in 1975, is a science fiction novel by Bob Shaw about the discovery of a Dyson sphere-like artifact surrounding a star. It has won the 1976 British Science Fiction Award for the best novel...
, Orbitsville Departure, and Orbitsville Judgement by Bob ShawBob ShawBob Shaw, born Robert Shaw, was a science fiction author and fan from Northern Ireland. He was noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980...
. - The RingworldRingworldRingworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...
series of novels by Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
feature a Dyson RingDyson sphereA Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
which requires an entire orbit. - The "Journal Entries" from Elf SternbergElf SternbergElf Mathieu Sternberg, born May 7, 1966, is the former keeper of the alt.sex FAQ. He is also the author of many erotic stories and articles on sexuality and sexual practices, and is considered one of the most notable and prolific online erotica authors....
use a ringworld as their home called PendorPendorPendor is a fictional ringworld from the Pendorwright stories written by Elf Sternberg. It rotates around a center star Pin, its day-night cycle simulated by a ring of shadow blocks rotating between Pendor and Pin, creating 292 day/night cycles per earth year...
. - The novel Spinneret by Timothy ZahnTimothy ZahnTimothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...
(Dyson net). - The novel The World Is RoundThe World is RoundThe World is Round is a science fiction novel by Tony Rothman published in 1978 by Ballantine Books.-Plot summary:The story concerns a world named Patra-Bannk , and a crew of explorers from another world named Two-Bit , seeking a treasure of metallic hydrogen.Upon arriving at the planet, the four...
by Tony RothmanTony RothmanTony Rothman is an American theoretical physicist, academic and writer.-Early life:Tony is the son of science fiction writer Milton A. Rothman....
. Inhabited on the outside, central body is a black hole. - Two novels by Frederik PohlFrederik PohlFrederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
& Jack WilliamsonJack WilliamsonJohn Stewart Williamson , who wrote as Jack Williamson was a U.S. writer often referred to as the "Dean of Science Fiction" following the death in 1988 of Robert A...
— These are notable in that the sphere in these novels is inhabited on the outside, producing an unusual environment with both very low gravity and an atmosphere hundreds of miles deep. Light is provided by clouds of bioluminescent organisms which feed on heat radiating from the "ground".- Farthest StarFarthest StarFarthest Star is the first novel of the Saga of Cuckoo Series. The author is Frederik Pohl, in collaboration with Jack Williamson. It was published by Ballantine Books in 1975....
(1975) - Wall Around a StarWall Around A StarWall Around A Star is the second book of the Saga of Cuckoo series, the first of which was Farthest Star. The author is Frederik Pohl, in collaboration with Jack Williamson. The cover art for the 1983 edition was done by David Mattingly...
(1983)
- Farthest Star
- The Commonwealth SagaCommonwealth SagaThe Commonwealth Saga is a series of science fiction novels by British science fiction writer Peter F. Hamilton. This saga consists of the novels Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained , as well as Misspent Youth . The events of Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained take place 340 years after his...
(2002–2005) and Void TrilogyVoid TrilogyThe Void Trilogy is a science fiction series by British SF writer Peter F. Hamilton. The series is set in the same universe as The Commonwealth Saga, 1,200 years after the end of Judas Unchained....
(2007–2010) by Peter F. HamiltonPeter F. HamiltonPeter F. Hamilton is a British author. He is best known for writing space opera. As of the publication of his tenth novel in 2004, his works had sold over two million copies worldwide.- Biography :...
. In Pandora's Star, the sudden disappearance of two separate star systems separated by several light-years, called the Dyson Pair, prompts the building of a faster than light starshipStarshipA starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
, Second Chance, to uncover reason behind the disappearance. It is heavily theorised by characters that both stars have been enclosed in Dyson Spheres. However, upon arrival, the Second Chance discovers that both systems have instead been sealed behind immense forcefields to imprison a hostile alien lifeform, not physical shells. In The Evolutionary VoidThe Evolutionary VoidThe Evolutionary Void is the third novel in The Void Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton, and was released on August 24, 2010. However, a first batch of paperback versions got shipped from amazon.de on August 13, 2010. The current pre-edit word count confirmed by the author is 216,000...
the SolSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
system (including EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
) is entrapped behind a similar forcefield, which was derived from the Dyson Pair technology. - The novel Across a Billion YearsAcross A Billion YearsAcross A Billion Years is a 1969 Science Fiction novel by Robert Silverberg.-Plot:Set in the year 2375, it follows Tom Rice, a young archaeologist attached to a two-year dig on the planet of Highby V. He is searching for artefacts belonging to a long-lost and ancient race known simply as The High...
by Robert SilverbergRobert SilverbergRobert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
. - The novel The Time ShipsThe Time ShipsThe Time Ships is a 1995 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter. A sequel to The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, it was officially authorized by the Wells estate to mark the centenary of the original's publication. It won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award and the Philip K. Dick Award in 1996, as...
by Stephen BaxterStephen BaxterStephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
. - The novel The Rise of EndymionThe Rise of EndymionThe Rise of Endymion is a 1997 science fiction novel by Dan Simmons. It is the fourth and final novel in his Hyperion Cantos fictional universe...
by Dan SimmonsDan SimmonsDan Simmons is an American author most widely known for his Hugo Award-winning science fiction series, known as the Hyperion Cantos, and for his Locus-winning Ilium/Olympos cycle....
, featuring a partly completed sphere, being grown using advanced biotechnology. - The short story Star Light, Star Bright by Robert J. SawyerRobert J. SawyerRobert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
. - The novel FlashforwardFlashforward (novel)Flashforward is a science fiction novel by Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer first published in 1999. The novel is set in 2009. At CERN, the Large Hadron Collider accelerator is performing a run to search for the Higgs boson. The experiment has a unique side effect: the entire human race loses...
by Robert J. SawyerRobert J. SawyerRobert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...
. - The Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
New AdventuresVirgin New AdventuresThe Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
novel The Also PeopleThe Also PeopleThe Also People is an original novel written by Ben Aaronovitch and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, Bernice, Chris, Roz and Kadiatu.-Plot:...
by Ben AaronovitchBen AaronovitchBen Denis Aaronovitch is a London-born British writer who has worked on television series including Doctor Who, Casualty, Jupiter Moon and Dark Knight...
. - The novel Consider PhlebasConsider PhlebasConsider Phlebas, first published in 1987, is a space opera novel by Scottish writer Iain M. Banks. Written after a 1984 draft, it is the first to feature the Culture.-Overview:...
by Iain M Banks; several Spheres mentioned only in passing as casualties of the Idiran-Culture WarIdiran-Culture WarThe Idiran-Culture War is a major fictional conflict between the Idiran Empire and the Culture in the midst of which Iain M. Banks' science fiction novel Consider Phlebas is set. His later book, Look to Windward, contains many references to the war: particularly the induced supernovae of two stars,...
. - The novel House of SunsHouse of SunsHouse of Suns is a 2008 science fiction novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds . He announced the title on June 7, 2007, when he was about halfway through writing it...
by Alastair ReynoldsAlastair ReynoldsAlastair Preston Reynolds is a British science fiction author. He specialises in dark hard science fiction and space opera. He spent his early years in Cornwall, moved back to Wales before going to Newcastle, where he read physics and astronomy. Afterwards, he earned a PhD from St Andrews, Scotland...
; composed of thousands of individual rings surrounding stars. - The novel Century RainCentury RainCentury Rain is a 2004 noir science fiction alternate history mystery novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds .- Plot summary :...
by Alastair ReynoldsAlastair ReynoldsAlastair Preston Reynolds is a British science fiction author. He specialises in dark hard science fiction and space opera. He spent his early years in Cornwall, moved back to Wales before going to Newcastle, where he read physics and astronomy. Afterwards, he earned a PhD from St Andrews, Scotland...
; surrounds a single planet only. - The novel Pushing IcePushing IcePushing Ice is a 2005 science fiction novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds. According to Reynolds' Web site, the story takes place in a universe separate and distinct from his Revelation Space universe.- Plot summary:...
by Alastair ReynoldsAlastair ReynoldsAlastair Preston Reynolds is a British science fiction author. He specialises in dark hard science fiction and space opera. He spent his early years in Cornwall, moved back to Wales before going to Newcastle, where he read physics and astronomy. Afterwards, he earned a PhD from St Andrews, Scotland...
(Passing reference). - The novel Russian Spring by Norman SpinradNorman SpinradNorman Richard Spinrad is an American science fiction author.Born in New York City, Spinrad is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1957 he entered City College of New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-law major. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco,...
. (Brief mention in a news blurb) - The novel Vacuum FlowersVacuum FlowersVacuum Flowers is a science fiction novel by Michael Swanwick, published in 1987. It is an early example of the cyberpunk genre, and features one of the earliest uses of the concept wetware....
by Michael SwanwickMichael SwanwickMichael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
. - The CageworldCageworld seriesThe Cageworld series is a science fiction series by Colin Kapp which takes place in a distant future where humanity lives on nested Dyson spheres. The four books are Search for the sun! ; The Lost worlds of Cronus ; The Tyrant of Hades and Star Search ....
novels Search for the Sun!, The Lost Worlds of Cronus, The Tyrant of Hades, and Star-Search by Colin KappColin KappColin Kapp was a British science fiction author.A contemporary of Brian Aldiss and James White, Kapp is best known for his stories about the Unorthodox Engineers.- Cageworld series :...
. Features concentric nested Dyson shells built from collected interstellar matter, also inhabited on their outer surfaces. - The novel Illegal Aliens by Nick PollottaNick PollottaNick Pollotta is an American author. The majority of his work has been published by Gold Eagle Books under house names "James Axler" and "Don Pendelton".He lives in Chicago with his wife, Melissa.- 1991 :* DOOMSDAY EXAM, Fantasy/Humor...
and Phil FoglioPhil FoglioPhilip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...
mentions two Dyson shells. The first, simply called "Big", is the headquarters of a galactic federation. The second is unnamed and apparently consists of nothing but nested Dyson shells built by an insane race to cope with their sun getting smaller. - The novel The Singers of Time by Frederik PohlFrederik PohlFrederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
and Jack WilliamsonJack WilliamsonJohn Stewart Williamson , who wrote as Jack Williamson was a U.S. writer often referred to as the "Dean of Science Fiction" following the death in 1988 of Robert A...
visits a parallel universe totally covered in Dyson shells, where only the farthest quasars are visible (already covered, but the light from them is still traveling). They were constructed by a formerly biological race that slowly converted their bodies to cyborgs and then full robots, the only logical evolution being the creation of a TypeKardashev scaleThe Kardashev scale is a method of measuring an advanced civilization's level of technological advancement. The scale is only theoretical and in terms of an actual civilization highly speculative; however, it puts energy consumption of an entire civilization in a cosmic perspective. It was first...
V or VI civilization. - The novel Heaven's ReachHeaven's ReachHeaven's Reach is the third novel in the Uplift Storm series by David Brin. Like the first two, it follows the adventures of the Terran scout ship, Streaker...
by David BrinDavid BrinGlen David Brin, Ph.D. is an American scientist and award-winning author of science fiction. He has received the Hugo, Locus, Campbell and Nebula Awards.-Biography:...
explains a more advanced (and more fragile) form of the Dyson sphere known as a Criswell Structure. This type of sphere utilizes fractal geometry to further maximize the light capturing inner surface as well as increase natural stability. Billions of these have been placed around slow burning red stars for extended periods of habitation by ancient life-forms awaiting transcendence to a higher form of life. - The novel Polity AgentPolity AgentPolity Agent is a 2006 science fiction novel by Neal Asher. It is the fourth novel in the Gridlinked sequence....
by Neal AsherNeal AsherNeal Asher is an English science fiction writer. Both his parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing till he was 25...
He describes under 'The Cassius project' a Dyson sphere under construction. - The short story Hold Until Relieved, by William H. Keith, Jr.William H. Keith, Jr.William H. Keith is an American author. He served during the Vietnam War in the United States Navy as a hospital corpsman. He became a professional artist, working in the game industry with his brother Andrew, before becoming a full-time author...
Part of Keith LaumerKeith LaumerJohn Keith Laumer was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a U.S. diplomat...
's Bolo universe. Galactic core surrounded by Dyson shell. - The novel "Federation World", by James WhiteJames White (author)James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending his early years in Canada. After a few years in the clothing industry, he worked at Short Brothers Ltd. from 1965 until taking early retirement in...
, partially set in a terraced Dyson sphere, which rotates to provide internal centrifugal force as a substitute for gravity. Since the terraces have different radii of rotation, alien species native to multiple gravity levels can be accommodated. - In the novel Accelerando by Charles StrossCharles StrossCharles David George "Charlie" Stross is a British writer of science fiction, Lovecraftian horror and fantasy. He was born in Leeds.Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera...
, a Dyson swarm (possibly a Dyson bubble) of computroniumComputroniumComputronium is a material hypothesized by Norman Margolus and Tommaso Toffoli of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to be used as "programmable matter," a substrate for computer modeling of virtually any real object....
forms a massive matrioshka brainMatrioshka brainA matrioshka brain is a hypothetical megastructure proposed by Robert Bradbury, based on the Dyson sphere, of immense computational capacity. It is an example of a Class B stellar engine, employing the entire energy output of a star to drive computer systems...
around the sun providing virtual spaceVirtual realityVirtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
for trillions of uploaded human minds and corporate AIAiAI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
. - At the conclusion of the novel Halo: Ghosts of OnyxHalo: Ghosts of OnyxGhosts of Onyx is a novel by Eric Nylund, set in the universe of the Halo video game series and released on October 31, 2006. Ghosts of Onyx was the fourth Halo novel published, and Nylund's third contribution to the series...
, the majority of the human survivors travel through a rift in slipspace to reach a habitat built by the ancient ForerunnersForerunners (Halo)Forerunners is the translated name for an ancient race of sentient beings which ceased to exist 100,000 years before the events of the Halo video game series began. They are known for their advanced technologies, enabling them to build mega-structures like the Halo installations, The Ark and the...
that is separated from normal space and guarded by a massive latticework of automated drones. This habitat is actually a compressed Dyson Sphere, and is to serve as an effective bomb shelter from the activation of the Halo ArrayHalo (megastructure)Halos are fictional megastructures and superweapons in the Halo video game series. They are referred to as "Installations" by their AI monitors, and are collectively referred to as "the Array" by the installations' creators, the Forerunners...
. - The technology is alluded to in the short story The Last QuestionThe Last Question"The Last Question" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the November 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and was reprinted in the collections Nine Tomorrows , The Best of Isaac Asimov , Robot Dreams , the retrospective Opus 100 , and in Isaac Asimov: The...
by Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. - The novel Old Man's WarOld Man's WarOld Man's War is a science fiction novel by John Scalzi published in 2005. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2006. It was optioned by Paramount Pictures in 2011...
by John Scalzi, an enemy alien race that is far more advanced than the Human civilization has a Dyson Sphere around their sun powering a shield around their home world. - Though it never refers to it by name, the novel Elven StarElven StarElven Star is the 2nd book in The Death Gate Cycle series written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It was released in 1990. The book covers the reconnaissance of Pryan, by Haplo at the behest of the Lord of the Nexus...
, volume 2 of the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman features a Dyson Sphere featuring 4 suns in its center. - The novels The Ring of CharonThe Ring of CharonThe Ring of Charon is a science fiction book by American writer Roger MacBride Allen, first published in 1990 by Tor Books. It is the first in a series of three books under the name of The Hunted Earth.The story unfolds as an unknown alien race captures Earth with the use of a controlled...
and The Shattered SphereThe Shattered SphereThe Shattered Sphere is a science fiction book by the author Roger MacBride Allen. It is a the second of The Hunted Earth series, preceded by The Ring of Charon....
by Roger MacBride AllenRoger MacBride AllenRoger MacBride Allen is an American science fiction author. He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and grew up in Washington, D.C., graduating from Boston University in 1979. His father is American historian and author Thomas B...
feature a Dyson Sphere and the space surrounding it. - The novels The Book of the Long SunThe Book of the Long SunThe Book of the Long Sun is a tetralogy by Gene Wolfe, comprising Nightside of the Long Sun, Lake of the Long Sun, Caldé of the Long Sun, and Exodus from the Long Sun. The first two volumes are published together as Litany of the Long Sun and the last two as Epiphany of the Long Sun...
saga by Gene WolfeGene WolfeGene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
features a large population of people living in a massive Dyson Sphere like spaceship called the Whorl, with a long sun in the centre. - The novel Debatable SpaceDebatable SpaceDebatable Space is a 2008 science fiction novel by novelist and screenwriter Philip Palmer.The book alternates between telling the story of the main character, Lena Smith, in the form of a diary and a first person point-of-view narrative of events which take place roughly 1000 years from the...
by Philip Palmer briefly mentions a Dyson Swarm of habitats around Sol known as the Dyson Jewels. - In the fantasy series The Death Gate CycleThe Death Gate CycleThe Death Gate Cycle is a seven-part series of fantasy novels written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. The main conflict is between two powerful races, the Sartan and the Patryns, which branched off from humans following a nuclear/anti-matter holocaust...
by Margaret WeisMargaret WeisMargaret Edith Weis is a fantasy novelist who, along with Tracy Hickman, is one of the original creators of the Dragonlance game world and has written numerous novels and short stories set in fantastic worlds.-Early life:Margaret Weis was born in 1948 in Independence, Missouri, and later attended...
and Tracy HickmanTracy HickmanTracy Raye Hickman is a best-selling fantasy author, best known for his work on Dragonlance as a game designer and co-author with Margaret Weis, while he worked for TSR...
, the world of Pryan resembles a Dyson Sphere. - The novel The Architects of Hyperspace by Thomas R. McDonough features an abandoned space station which is formed of concentric rings orbiting a star near the center of the universe.
- The novel Second Genesis by Donald MoffittDonald MoffittDonald Moffitt is an author of a number of science fiction novels. Most famous among these are The Genesis Quest and Second Genesis.-Novels:*The Jupiter Theft *The Genesis Quest...
is largely set on one disc of a Dyson Swarm composed of massive orbital aligned discs whose shadows overlap to completely surround a star, to act as energy-collectors for an interstellar communicator. - The novel The Berserker Throne and the related short story Some Events at the Templar Radiant by Fred SaberhagenFred SaberhagenFred Thomas Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction short stories and S.F...
. The fortress "Templar Radiant" is a stone sphere constructed around a starlike source of inverse gravity. - The novel Hex by Allen SteeleAllen SteeleAllen Mulherin Steele, Jr. is an American science fiction author.Steele began publishing short stories in 1988. His early novels formed a future history beginning with Orbital Decay and continuing through Labyrinth of Night...
Comics
- The sci-fi webcomicWebcomicWebcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
Schlock MercenarySchlock MercenarySchlock Mercenary is a comedic webcomic written and drawn by Howard Tayler. It follows the tribulations of a star-travelling mercenary company in a satiric, mildly dystopian 31st-century space opera setting...
by Howard TaylerHoward TaylerHoward V. Tayler is the award-winning creator of the hugely successful webcomic Schlock Mercenary. He worked as a volunteer missionary for the LDS Church, then graduated from Brigham Young University...
features an alien race known as the F'Sherl-Ganni, who live in habitats hanging from the interior surfaces of Dyson Bubbles they call Buuthandi (an abbreviation of the F'Sherl-Ganni phrase "Buut go buut-buut nnaa-nnaa cho handi", which translates to "This was expensive to build", or more literally as "Expensive and expensive-expensive [expletive] we built"). They use these Dyson bubbles to collect power with which to operate a galaxy-wide network of transportation wormholeWormholeIn physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
s. - The mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
BLAME!Blame!, pronounced "blam", is a ten-volume 1998 cyberpunk manga by Tsutomu Nihei published by Kodansha. A six part original net animation was produced in 2003, with a seventh episode included on the DVD release.- Plot :...
by Tsutomu NiheiTsutomu Niheiis a Japanese manga artist. His cyberpunk-influenced artwork has gained a strong cult following. He has a relatively large community of fans in Germany where his manga Blame!, NOiSE and Biomega were published by Ehapa. Blame! was also published in France and Spain by Glénat, in the US by Tokyopop...
. In the art book, BLAME! And So On it is revealed by the artist that the "city" the characters keep referring to and are currently wandering in is actually a Dyson Sphere extending to the orbit of Jupiter. - In the MarvelMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
comic series New MutantsNew MutantsThe New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
(original series) the rock star Lila Cheney, a mutant with the power to teleport across interstellar distances, had a home on an abandoned Dyson Sphere. - In the Marvel comic series Guardians of the GalaxyGuardians of the GalaxyThe original Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional superhero team that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Guardians first appear in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 .-Publication history:...
the Guardians teleport to a Dyson sphere. - Battle Angel Alita: Last OrderBattle Angel Alita: Last OrderBattle Angel Alita: Last Order, known in Japan as , is the continuation of the manga series Battle Angel Alita. It is created by Yukito Kishiro and tells the story of Alita continuing her quest to uncover her mysterious past.-Premise:Last Order continues from Volume 9 of Battle Angel Alita, but...
, Jupiter, a human colony, was surrounded by incomplete sphere. - The webcomic xkcdXkcdxkcd is a webcomic created by Randall Munroe. The comic's tagline describes it as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language." It has been recognized in such mainstream media as The Guardian and The New York Times....
by Randall Munroe references a Dyson Sphere in it's mouseover text for its November 9th, 2011 comic: Occulting Telescope.
Games
- The PlayStation 2 game Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne by Atlus takes place in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo that's been ripped from the surface of the Earth and folded in upon itself around a nucleus called "Kagutsuchi" to form what is essentially a Dyson sphere.
- The PlayStation 2 game Code Age CommandersCode Age Commandersis a Japan-exclusive action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix on October 13, 2005 for the PlayStation 2. It is part of the Code Age series, a franchise created by video game artist Yusuke Naora and designed to span different interweaved titles in multiple platforms and media...
takes place in an "intraglobular world", a fictional hollow world similar to a Dyson sphereDyson sphereA Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output...
, with people living on its internal surface. - The PC game Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Final UnityStar Trek: The Next Generation - A Final UnityStar Trek: The Next Generation – A Final Unity is a computer game by Spectrum HoloByte, based on the Star Trek universe.The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reprise their roles, providing the voices of their respective characters.-Plot:...
by Spectrum HolobyteSpectrum HoloByteSpectrum HoloByte, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher originally based in Alameda, California.The company was founded in 1983 and was most famous for its simulation games, notably the Falcon series of flight simulators and Vette!, a driving simulator from 1989...
features a Dyson Sphere in its endgame, containing 'The Unity Device' (the players goal). - The PC game FreelancerFreelancer (computer game)Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
by MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Game Studios shows a Dyson Sphere (specifically, a Dyson Shell) in the last system visited in the game campaign. It was constructed by either the highly advanced "Dom'Kavash" civilization, or their servant race the "Nomads". - The PC game HomeworldHomeworldHomeworld is a real-time strategy computer game released on September 28, 1999, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was the first fully three-dimensional RTS. In 2003, Relic released the source code for Homeworld...
by Relic EntertainmentRelic EntertainmentRelic Entertainment is a Canadian game development company that specializes in 3D real-time strategy games and has released a number of unique PC games. Relic specializes in creative, visually appealing, and combat intense RTS games.-History:...
contains what appears to be a half completed Dyson Sphere in Mission 13, The Karos Graveyard. It later turns out to be the site of a massive ship battle, where the vessels were never salvaged. Homeworld 2 later revealed the large bits of wreckage viewed in the distance to be from a massive ship that broke apart many years ago. - The epilogue of the PC game Mission CriticalMission Critical (game)Mission Critical is an adventure game released in 1995 by Legend Entertainment. Though its main advertising point was the presence of Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Michael Dorn, he played a very small role in the game...
by Legend EntertainmentLegend EntertainmentLegend Entertainment was an American developer of computer games, best known for their complex, distinctive adventure titles throughout the 1990s....
. Humans created the artificial electronic life-forms (ELFs) and after decades of research they will both construct such a sphere; the humans will live inside and the ELFs outside. - The PBeM Game Quadrant Delta
- In the Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
fictional universe, The Outsider, a C'tan, is said to inhabit a Dyson sphere, having been trapped inside it by The Laughing God of the Eldar, Cegorach. - In the AT-43At-43AT-43 is a science fiction tabletop wargame using 28 mm miniature figures and terrain to scale developed and published by the French company Rackham.The game is classified as a platoon/company level game similar to Warhammer 40,000....
fictional universe, the Therians plan to enclose all stars inside Dyson spheres. The first released campaign, Operation Damocles, takes place on a mobile, solid Dyson sphere. - The PC game Space Empires IVSpace Empires IVSpace Empires IV is a turn-based 4Xstrategy computer game developed by Malfador Machinations and published by Strategy First as part of the Space Empires series in which players control an alien race in an attempt at galactic conquest.- Gameplay :...
and Space Empires VSpace Empires VSpace Empires V is a 4X turn based strategy game that was released in 2006. It was developed by Malfador Machinations and published by Strategy First. The game retains many races and technologies from its predecessor, Space Empires IV .-Gameplay:While Space Empires V retains much of its...
by Malfador MachinationsMalfador MachinationsMalfador Machinations is a small game company based in Santa Rosa, California. They are best known for their Space Empires series.-Brief history:...
allows the construction and colonization of Dyson spheres (called "sphereworlds") - The PC game Sid Meier's Alpha CentauriSid Meier's Alpha CentauriSid Meier's Alpha Centauri is the critically acclaimed science fiction 4X turn-based strategy video game sequel to the Civilization series. Sid Meier, designer of Civilization, and Brian Reynolds, designer of Civilization II, developed Alpha Centauri after they left MicroProse to join the newly...
by Firaxis Games refers to a Dyson Sphere in one of the game endings. - The PC & Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game PreyPrey (video game)Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...
by Human Head Studios (after a short introductory level in a bar) takes place on a Dyson Sphere (more specifically it is a Dyson Net constructed of organic and technological matter). - The internet game Flash Trek 2: Broken Mirror contains a Dyson sphere in the system beyond the Bajoran wormhole
- In the PC game ChronomasterChronomasterChronomaster is a computer DOS-based adventure game developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by IntraCorp on 20 December 1995. Its main plot was written by novelist Roger Zelazny and was his last known work, as he died during the development of the game.Chronomaster narrates the story of...
, the final pocket universePocket universe-In science:A pocket universe is a concept in inflationary theory, proposed by Alan Guth. It defines a realm like the one that contains the observable universe as only one of many inflationary zones.-In fiction:...
to be explored is encapsulated entirely by a Dyson sphere - The Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
strategy game Halo Wars set in the Halo series sees the latter half of its campaign take place on and inside a planetary sized Dyson Shell with a small artificial sun in the center. This so-called Shield World was meant to protect the Forerunners and their technology from The Flood, and the Forerunners or another life form from the Halo Array's firing. The entire inside of the shell is habitable and thus must have some sort of artificial gravity system to keep everything from floating off the surface. Also, in the Halo series, Shield Worlds are Micro-Dyson Spheres often protected by a planet-sized Dyson Swarm of sentries called Sentinels, whereas the Shield World itself will protect its inhabitors from the superweapon's firing, and the Sentinels will protect the Micro-Dyson Sphere from being destroyed by means of weapons or asteroids and such, as is the case with the Shield World called "Onyx" in the book by Eric Nylund "Halo: Ghosts of Onyx". Albeit the Micro-Dyson Sphere in question is said to be externally "only a few meters in diameter", while internally is approximately the size of Earth's orbit around our sun, with a small artificial star. - In the PC/Xbox 360 game Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
, the Geth character "Legion" (a sentient artificial intelligence) mentions the Dyson Sphere as the closest analogue to the mega structure its species is currently working. - In the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
video game "Infinite SpaceInfinite Space, initially announced as "Infinite Line",. is a science-fiction role-playing game developed by Nude Maker and Platinum Games for the Nintendo DS. It was the third of a four game publishing deal with Sega...
", the "Overlords" - a transcendent race responsible for the destruction and rebirth of universes - use a Dyson sphere attached to the Sun to power the "True Void Gate" with which they access and manipulate the current universe. - The Face book Game Galaxy Legion features Dyson Spheres as one of the discoverable and colonizable types in the galaxy, although they are extremely rare.
- In the role-playing game Final Fantasy XIII, the floating utopia of Cocoon is a Dyson Sphere. Cocoon surrounds an artificial sun, which is the fal'Cie Phoenix.
Audio
- BBVBBVBBV is a video and audio production company specialising in science fiction drama, known for its links with the British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
Pocket Universe audio episode "The Search" (set in the Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
universe) features a Dyson Sphere encountered by robot dogRobot dogRobotic dogs are robots designed to resemble dogs in appearance and behavior, usually incorporating canine characteristics such as barking or tail-wagging...
K-9K-9 (Doctor Who)K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977...
and his Mistress.
Websites
- The collaborative worldbuilding website Orion's ArmOrion's ArmOrion's Arm, is a multi-authored online science fiction world-building project, first established in 2000 by M. Alan Kazlev, Donna Malcolm Hirsekorn, Bernd Helfert and Anders Sandberg and further co-authored by many people since...
describes several fictional planetary systems that incorporate Dyson Swarms, which orbit the local star and collect energy to use for life support, industry and computation.
See also
- Fullerenes in popular cultureFullerenes in popular culture-Fine art:Physicist-turned-artist Julian Voss-Andreae has created several sculptures symbolizing wave-particle duality in Buckminsterfullerenes. Voss-Andreae participated in research demonstrating that even objects as large as Buckminsterfullerenes obey the peculiar laws of quantum physics. After...
- Schrödinger's cat in fictionSchrödinger's cat in fictionSchrödinger's cat is a thought experiment, usually described as a paradox, devised by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. It illustrates what he saw as the problem of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics applied to everyday objects. The thought experiment presents a cat that...
- Big Dumb ObjectBig Dumb ObjectIn discussion of science fiction, a Big Dumb Object is any mysterious object in a story which generates an intense sense of wonder just by being there; to a certain extent, the term deliberately deflates this...
- RingworldRingworldRingworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...
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