Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00 This is the sun.
00:02 A massive ball of seething hot plasma that serves as the anchor, fuel and lifeblood of
00:08 our solar system.
00:10 Without this star, we simply wouldn't be here.
00:13 Which is why it's a little concerning to know that it could, theoretically, be taken
00:17 away.
00:18 This is Unveiled, and today we're taking a closer look at a bizarre cosmic prophecy,
00:23 exploring how aliens could steal the sun.
00:26 Do you need the big questions answered?
00:28 Are you constantly curious?
00:30 Then why not subscribe to Unveiled for more clips like this one?
00:33 And ring the bell for more thought-provoking content!
00:36 The sun never stops.
00:38 The relentless fusion that's happening inside it continuously releases vast amounts of energy,
00:43 providing warmth and light enough to sustain life on Earth.
00:46 The mass is also key, though, with the sheer presence of the sun being what governs the
00:51 movements of celestial bodies throughout our corner of space.
00:54 Planets, moons, asteroids, even individual specks of solar system dust… it's all
01:00 guided through the cosmos by the sun.
01:03 To even contemplate it one day getting stolen seems, at first, kind of absurd.
01:07 But, actually, it's a prospect that might not be entirely science fiction.
01:13 Because when it comes to hypothetically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations that could
01:17 be out there, perhaps nothing is impossible.
01:21 Today we'll explore the significance of our sun, discuss the possible methods through
01:25 which an alien civilization could genuinely acquire it, examine their potential motivations
01:31 for such a grand and dastardly endeavour, and consider whether humanity could ever hope
01:35 to respond.
01:37 The sun at the centre of our solar system is a G-type main-sequence star, also known
01:42 as a yellow dwarf.
01:43 It's composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and generates energy through nuclear fusion,
01:48 using hydrogen into helium inside its core.
01:51 The colossal amounts of energy produced during this process radiate out into space as light
01:57 and heat which, among other things, provides the conditions needed for life on Earth.
02:02 The sun powers our climate and photosynthesis, enabling the growth of plants, which serve
02:07 as the base of the food chain.
02:08 Meanwhile, the immersive gravitational pull keeps everything held together and orbiting
02:13 in a stable way.
02:15 Of course, the sun is also our cosmic timekeeper.
02:18 The day-night cycle, as well as the seasons, are determined by its position in the sky,
02:23 and are essential to how all ecosystems work, and to the general organisation of human society.
02:28 And, finally, the sun serves as an invaluable reference point for astronomers.
02:33 Obviously, it's the closest star we have, and understanding its evolution could be key
02:38 to understanding the rest of the universe.
02:40 Clearly, then, the sun is a hot property.
02:43 So much so that there have been rumours and alternate claims already that a watching alien
02:48 race may well be eyeing it up for their own needs.
02:51 In the years 2012, 2016 and 2022 especially, reports emerged that UFOs had been spotted
02:58 seemingly siphoning fuel away from the sun, as part of some kind of perceived deep-space
03:04 pit stop.
03:05 In all cases, the much more likely explanation is that telescopes and cameras had captured
03:09 a particularly energetic solar flare, rather than a pilfering alien.
03:14 But, with the re-emergence of models such as the Kardashev Scale, some do feel that
03:19 our star might one day be targeted by any kind of K2 civilisation or above.
03:24 So, why and how would they do that?
03:27 As to why, there are a number of potential reasons.
03:30 The first and most obvious is energy scarcity.
03:33 To us, the sun is everything.
03:34 But, to a hypothetically more advanced group than us, it would represent just the latest
03:39 source of energy that's available to them.
03:42 Something like a battery that you find in the back of a drawer… only in this case,
03:45 the sun is the battery.
03:47 At types three and four on the Kardashev Scale, and at times even as low as type two, your
03:52 civilisation demands an eye-watering amount of energy.
03:55 Which means that any and all stars would be of interest… including ours.
03:59 It's not all about an advanced group simply striving to survive, however.
04:03 There could be much more of a choice involved, in which an alien party seeks to shut down
04:07 the solar system.
04:09 This could be just an act of aggression, to wipe out all prospects of life on Earth or
04:13 anywhere else.
04:14 However, it could also be a little more calculated than that, with our sun targeted more in line
04:19 with how hypothetical aliens are motivated in the zoo hypothesis… the famous argument
04:24 that we've never discovered aliens before because actually we're completely under
04:28 their control, and they're watching from a safe distance.
04:31 Here, stealing the sun becomes more like an experiment, with definitely dire consequences
04:36 for us.
04:37 What's probably most concerning, though, is that there seemingly are some theoretical
04:42 ways that this could be carried out, no matter the motive for doing so.
04:46 Move high enough up the Kardashev Scale - or, indeed, any similar model - and a key capability
04:52 for the most powerful civilisations is the total manipulation of matter at the smallest
04:57 level but also at the largest.
04:59 First, there are cosmological megastructures like the Dyson Sphere, fitted around a star.
05:05 Then there are space-based supercomputers such as the Jupiter Brain, built to the scale
05:10 of a planet.
05:11 And finally, there are the biggest of the big - stellar engines, built to the scale
05:16 of a star.
05:18 One of the most well-known is the Shkadov Thruster, a hypothetical megastructure with
05:22 a colossal solar sail that would envelop the sun, utilising the radiation pressure generated
05:28 by it to ultimately move it.
05:30 A Shkadov Thruster can be employed fast or slow.
05:34 Moving stars so that they effectively disappear within seconds, or else slowly and methodically
05:39 inching a star out of place to avoid attracting attention.
05:43 To a Type Four alien, for example, it's thought that this kind of technology could
05:47 be commonplace, working something like a pickup truck to our minds.
05:52 Imagine loading a truck with soil, for instance.
05:54 A simple enough task for us.
05:56 But now imagine the insects that are killed or displaced by that action.
06:00 There's nothing they can do, and that's pretty much the position we would find ourselves
06:04 in here.
06:05 If an alien turned up with a Shkadov Thruster, then it's unlikely to spare a thought for
06:10 the lower forms of life that it's ruining.
06:13 Thankfully, although the Shkadov Thruster is theoretically possible, it would require
06:17 an unimaginable level of engineering know-how to actually build.
06:21 And perhaps there hasn't been enough time yet in the universe for any group to emerge
06:26 even slightly capable of constructing a true stellar engine.
06:30 Nevertheless, would there be anything that humanity could do if something like this did
06:34 ever reveal itself?
06:36 In short, probably not.
06:38 In reality, there are precious few official protocols for guidance in the event of an
06:42 alien invasion just on Earth, let alone for a breach in the wider solar system.
06:47 There's also the fact that simply getting closer to the sun is incredibly difficult
06:51 for us.
06:52 We'd have some missions headed in that direction, including NASA's Parker Solar
06:56 Probe… but overall, we tend to look out, away from the sun, whenever we contemplate
07:01 space.
07:02 So, one thing we certainly wouldn't be capable of is physically blocking the way.
07:07 If anything ever wanted our sun, then we'd have no choice but to let them have it.
07:12 Perhaps there'd be a vague possibility for a diplomatic solution, somehow establishing
07:16 communication and attempting to negotiate… but we'd be in such a laughably weak position
07:22 in those talks if they ever did come to pass.
07:24 So, all in all, it's something that theoretically could happen… and if it did, then it's
07:30 something that we'd be almost powerless to stop.
07:32 With that in mind, is it time to seriously worry?
07:35 Well, again, probably not.
07:38 This is a wholly hypothetical what-if scenario.
07:40 It's interesting to consider, but there are surely more pressing concerns, both in
07:44 space and on Earth.
07:46 For example, rogue black holes.
07:48 These are entities that we know, with certainty, are out there… and could even be circling
07:53 close by.
07:54 And, while the chances are still extremely low, were one ever to enter into the solar
07:58 system then it would take not just the sun, but everything else, as well.
08:03 Furthermore, and specifically thinking about alien life, if we ever are to meet it, then
08:08 chances are that it won't be anywhere near as sophisticated as stellar engine-ready.
08:13 Instead, scientists believe it's more likely to be very simple, maybe more akin to bacteria,
08:20 with the primary concern being contamination, rather than it waging an act of all-out solar
08:26 system Armageddon.
08:27 What do you think about this particular hypothetical?
08:30 Is it something that you can ever see happening, either with our own sun, or with any other
08:34 star in the universe?
08:36 When we imagine advanced alien civilizations, there's seemingly no limit to what they
08:40 might be capable of… because here, piloting the theoretically possible, although still
08:45 unlikely Shkadov thruster, that's how aliens really could steal the sun.
08:51 What do you think?
08:52 Is there anything we missed?
08:54 Let us know in the comments, check out these other clips from Unveiled, and make sure you
08:58 subscribe and ring the bell for our latest content.