Dyson tree
Encyclopedia
A Dyson tree is a hypothetical genetically-engineered
plant
, (perhaps resembling a tree) capable of growing in a comet
, suggested by the physicist Freeman Dyson
. He suggested that such plants could produce a breathable atmosphere within hollow spaces in the comet (or even within the plants themselves) utilising solar energy and cometary materials, thus providing self-sustaining
habitats
for humanity in the outer solar system.
A Dyson tree might consist of a few main trunk structures growing out from a comet nucleus, branching into limbs and foliage that intertwine, forming a spherical structure possibly dozens of kilometers across.
, beginning in the 1980s:
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
, (perhaps resembling a tree) capable of growing in a comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
, suggested by the physicist Freeman Dyson
Freeman Dyson
Freeman 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...
. He suggested that such plants could produce a breathable atmosphere within hollow spaces in the comet (or even within the plants themselves) utilising solar energy and cometary materials, thus providing self-sustaining
Self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...
habitats
Space habitat
A space habitat is a space station intended as a permanent settlement rather than as a simple waystation or other specialized facility...
for humanity in the outer solar system.
A Dyson tree might consist of a few main trunk structures growing out from a comet nucleus, branching into limbs and foliage that intertwine, forming a spherical structure possibly dozens of kilometers across.
Dyson trees in science fiction
Dyson trees are mentioned a number of times in science fictionScience 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...
, beginning in the 1980s:
- One of the first adoptions of the trope is Rachel PollackRachel PollackRachel Pollack is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot...
's Tree House (1984). - The concept is discussed in Carl SaganCarl SaganCarl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
and Ann DruyanAnn DruyanAnn Druyan is an American author and producer specializing in productions about cosmology and popular science. She made substantial contributions to the PBS documentary series, Cosmos, and was the wife of late scientist and educator, Carl Sagan.-Film career:Along with Carl Sagan and Steven Soter,...
's 1985 non-fiction book CometComet (book)Comet is a popular-science book by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan. It describes the scientific nature of comets, as well as their varying roles and perceptions throughout history...
, and several paintings of Dyson trees around Saturn and in interstellar space are provided in the book by Jon LombergJon LombergJon Lomberg is an American space artist and science journalist. He was Carl Sagan's principal artistic collaborator for more than twenty years on many projects from 1972 until 1996...
. - In Michael SwanwickMichael SwanwickMichael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
's 1987 transhumanistTranshumanismTranshumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
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....
, "dysonsworlders" have established tree settlements in the Oort CloudOort cloudThe Oort cloud , or the Öpik–Oort cloud , is a hypothesized spherical cloud of comets which may lie roughly 50,000 AU, or nearly a light-year, from the Sun. This places the cloud at nearly a quarter of the distance to Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun...
. - Under the name of "Space Poplars", Dyson trees are described in 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...
's two science fiction novels, The Genesis QuestThe Genesis QuestThe Genesis Quest is a science fiction novel written by Donald Moffitt first published in 1986, part of a two part series, the conclusion of the story being offered in Second Genesis.-Plot summary:...
and Second Genesis. Here they are used as both habitats and spacecraft, propelled by reflective outer leaves used as organic solar sailSolar sailSolar sails are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser to push enormous ultra-thin mirrors to high speeds....
s. - 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....
, in Endymion (1996) and the Rise of Endymion (1997) - both part of his Hyperion CantosHyperion CantosThe Hyperion Cantos is a series of science fiction novels by Dan Simmons. Set in the far future, and focusing more on plot and story development than technical detail, it falls into the soft science fiction category...
- refers to dyson trees, and in the latter novel to a huge tree system that surrounds an entire star (reminiscent of 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...
). - In Stephen BaxterStephen BaxterStephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
's Manifold: SpaceManifold: SpaceManifold: Space is a science fiction book by author Stephen Baxter, first published in the United Kingdom in 2000, then released in the United States in 2001. It is the second book of the Manifold series and examines another possible solution to the Fermi paradox...
(2001), Baxter's protagonist Reid Malenfant at one point finds himself inside a dyson tree. - In the 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...
shared universeShared universeA shared universe is a fictional universe to which more than one writer contributes. Work set in a shared universe share characters and other elements with varying degrees of consistency. Shared universes are contrasted with collaborative writing, in which multiple authors work on a single story....
(established 2000), dyson trees and dyson tree "forests" are called orwoods; these have been established in a number of star systems throughout terragen space. The word "Orwood" in this context was originally coined by Anders SandbergAnders SandbergAnders Sandberg is a researcher, science debater, futurist, transhumanist, and author. He was born in Solna, Sweden. He holds a Ph.D...
. - The Transhuman SpaceTranshuman SpaceTranshuman Space is a role-playing game published by Steve Jackson Games as parts of the "Powered by GURPS" line. Set in the year 2100, humanity has begun to colonize the Solar System...
roleplaying game includes the beginning of a dyson tree endeavour on Yggdrasil Station (Deep Beyond, p. 70, 2003) - In the Tenchi Muyo OVA series The JuraiJuraiis a planet in the AIC anime Tenchi Muyo!, and also the name of its royal family. The planet and royal family of Jurai appear mostly in the Ryo-Ohki OVA and Tenchi Universe series and briefly in Tenchi in Tokyo...
utilize trees that can live in space as ships, and in the temple of the goddess-like character Tokimi there is seen a giant tree whose roots encompass a planet. - In The Dirty PairThe Dirty PairThe Dirty Pair is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Adam Warren, based on the Dirty Pair characters created by Haruka Takachiho....
series Run From the Future is set on the Nimkasi habitat, an outlaw habitat that is a Dyson tree. - The video game Dyson (now called EufloriaEufloriaEufloria is a real-time strategy video game developed by indie developers Alex May, Rudolf Kremers and Brian Grainger...
to avoid confusion with Dyson vacuum cleaners) got its name and idea from Freeman Dyson's Dyson Tree hypothesis.
External links
- Dyson Trees in 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...
- Dyson Trees - Bad Astronomy and Universe Today Forum
- Dyson Tree - Innovative Technologies from Science Fiction for Space Application.