This is the sun.
A massive ball of seething hot plasma that serves as the anchor, fuel and lifeblood of
our solar system.
Without this star, we simply wouldn’t be here.
Which is why it’s a little concerning to know that it could, theoretically, be taken
away.
This is Unveiled, and today we’re taking a closer look at a bizarre cosmic prophecy,
exploring how aliens could steal the sun.
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The sun never stops.
The relentless fusion that’s happening inside it continuously releases vast amounts of energy,
providing warmth and light enough to sustain life on Earth.
The mass is also key, though, with the sheer presence of the sun being what governs the
movements of celestial bodies throughout our corner of space.
Planets, moons, asteroids, even individual specs of solar system dust… it’s all guided
through the cosmos by the sun.
To even contemplate it one day getting stolen seems, at first, kind of absurd.
But, actually, it’s a prospect that might not be entirely science fiction.
Because, when it comes to the hypothetically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations that
could be out there…
perhaps nothing is impossible.
Today, we’ll explore the significance of our sun, discuss the possible methods through
which an alien civilization could genuinely acquire it, examine their potential motivations
for such a grand and dastardly endeavor, and consider whether humanity could ever hope
to respond.
The Sun, at the center of our solar system, is a G-type main-sequence star, also known
as a yellow dwarf.
It’s composed mainly of hydrogen and helium and generates energy through nuclear fusion,
fusing hydrogen into helium inside its core.
The colossal amounts of energy produced during this process radiate out into space as light
and heat which, among other things, provides the conditions needed for life on Earth.
The sun powers our climate and photosynthesis, enabling the growth of plants, which serve
as the base of the food chain.
Meanwhile, the immense gravitational pull keeps everything held together and orbiting
in a stable way.
Of course, the sun is also our cosmic timekeeper.
The day-night cycle, as well as the seasons, are determined by its position in the sky
- and are essential to how all ecosystems work, and to the general organization of human
society.
And finally, the Sun serves as an invaluable reference point for astronomers.
Obviously it’s the closest star we have… and understanding its evolution could be key
to understanding the rest of the universe.
Clearly then, the sun is hot property.
So much so that there have been rumors and alternate claims already that a watching alien
race may well be eyeing it up for their own needs.
In the years 2012, 2016 and 2022, especially, reports emerged that UFOs had been spotted
seemingly siphoning fuel away from the sun, as part of some kind of perceived deep space
pitstop.
In all cases, the much more likely explanation is that telescopes and cameras had captured
a particularly energetic solar flare rather than a pilfering alien.
But, with the re-emergence of models such as the Kardashev Scale, some do feel our star
might one day be targeted by any kind of K2 civilization or above.
So why and how would they do that?
As to “why”, there are a number of potential reasons.
The first and most obvious is energy scarcity.
To us the sun is everything, but to a hypothetically more advanced group than us… it would represent
just the latest source of energy that’s available to them.
Something like a battery that you find in the back of the drawer, only in this case
the sun is the battery.
At types three and four on the Kardashev Scale, and at times even as low as type two, your
civilization demands an eye-watering amount of energy, which means that any and all stars
would be of interest - including ours.
It’s not all about an advanced group simply striving to survive, however.
There could be much more of a choice involved, in which an alien party seeks to shut down
the solar system.
This could be just as an act of aggression, to wipe out all prospects of life on Earth
or anywhere else.
However, it could also be a little more calculated than that, with our sun targeted more in line
with how hypothetical aliens are motivated in the Zoo Hypothesis - the famous argument
that we’ve never discovered aliens before because actually we’re completely under
their control, and they’re watching from a safe distance.
Here, stealing the sun becomes more like an experiment, with definitely dire consequences
for us.
What’s probably most concerning, though, is that there seemingly are some theoretical
ways that this could be carried out, no matter the motive for doing so.
Move high enough up the Kardashev Scale - or, indeed, any similar model - and a key capability
for the most powerful civilizations is the total manipulation of matter at the smallest
level, but also at the largest.
First there are cosmological megastructures like the Dyson Sphere fitted around a star;
then there are space-based supercomputers such as the Jupiter Brain built to the scale
of a planet; and finally there are the biggest of the big, stellar engines, built to the
scale of a star.
One of the most well known is the Shkadov Thruster.
A hypothetical megastructure with a colossal solar sail that would envelop the Sun, utilizing
the radiation pressure generated by it… to ultimately move it.
A Shkadov Thruster can be employed fast or slow; moving stars so that they effectively
disappear within seconds… or else slowly and methodically inching a star out of place,
to avoid attracting attention.
To a type four alien, for example, it’s thought that this kind of technology could
be commonplace, working something like a pickup truck to our minds.
Imagine loading a truck with soil, for instance.
A simple enough task for us, but now imagine the insects that are killed or displaced by
that action.
There’s nothing they can do, and that’s pretty much the position we would find ourselves
in, here.
If an alien turned up with a Shkadov Thruster, then it’s unlikely to spare a thought for
the lower forms of life that it's ruining.
Thankfully, although the Shkadov Thruster is theoretically possible, it would require
an unimaginable level of engineering know-how to actually build.
And perhaps there hasn’t been enough time yet in the universe for any group to emerge
even slightly capable of constructing a true stellar engine.
Nevertheless, would there be anything that humanity could do if something like this did
ever reveal itself?
In short, probably not.
In reality there are precious few official protocols for guidance in the event of an
alien invasion just on Earth, let alone for a breach in the wider solar system.
There’s also the fact that simply getting closer to the sun is incredibly difficult
for us.
We have some missions headed in that direction - including NASA’s Parker Solar Probe - but
overall we tend to look out, away from the sun whenever we contemplate space.
So, one thing we certainly wouldn’t be capable of is physically blocking the way.
If anything ever wanted our sun then we’d have no choice but to let them have it.
Perhaps there’d be a vague possibility for a diplomatic solution; somehow establishing
communication and attempting to negotiate.
But we’d be in such a laughably weak position in those talks, if they ever did come to pass.
So, all in all, it’s something that theoretically could happen, and if it did then it’s something
that we’d be almost powerless to stop.
With that in mind, is it time to seriously worry?
Well, again, probably not.
This is a wholly hypothetical, what if scenario.
It’s interesting to consider but there are surely more pressing concerns, both in space
and on Earth.
For example, rogue black holes.
These are entities that we know with certainty are out there and could even be circling close
by.
And, while the chances are still extremely low, were one to ever enter into the solar
system then it would take not just the sun… but everything else, as well.
Furthermore, and specifically thinking about alien life, if we ever are to meet it, then
the chances are that it won’t be anywhere near as sophisticated as stellar engine-ready.
Instead, scientists believe it’s more likely to be very simple, maybe more akin to bacteria,
with the primary concern being contamination…
rather than it waging an act of all out solar system armageddon.
What do you think about this particular hypothetical?
Is it something that you can ever see happening, either with our own sun… or with any other
star in the universe?
When we imagine advanced alien civilizations, there’s seemingly no limit to what they
might be capable of.
Because here, piloting the theoretically possible (although still unlikely) Shkadov Thruster,
that’s how aliens really could steal the sun.
What do you think?
Is there anything we missed?
Let us know in the comments, check out these other clips from Unveiled, and make sure you
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