NASA / ESA / H. Ford, Johns Hopkins University / G. Kober, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center / Catholic University of America
The spiral galaxy NGC 3227 and the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 3226
A new scientific paper suggests that intelligent aliens may be turning their home stars into natural spacecraft to explore the galaxy and search for resources.
An article recently in arXivproposes that the fastest-moving stars in the galaxy could be piloted by intelligent extraterrestrials.
Clement Vidalfrom the Vrije University of Brussels, proposes this innovative theory about how a Advanced extraterrestrial civilization could be traveling the galaxydriving the binary star system itself.
Although speculative, Vidal’s theory sheds light on possible methods of interstellar travel that challenge traditional concepts of movement in cosmic space.
As , long-lived civilizations may have many motivations for wanting to move to another location in the galaxy. However, given the enormous distances between stars, interstellar travel is tremendously difficult and time-consuming.
Clement Vidal suggests that instead of a civilization leaving its star system, could take its star and associated planets with it.
The main advantage of speeding up their own star would be the fact that they can keep it with them while they travel. To do this, they would make their star radiate or evaporate in one direction, which would propel the star, along with all its planets, to a new location in the galaxy.
Astronomers have been investigating whether stars from “hyperspeed” they may have been purposefully launched by extraterrestrial civilizations.
Clement Vidal argues that most stars are not solitary but belong to binary systems – which are more common than lone stars, and would provide additional advantages in terms of manipulation and direction of movement.
The “Vidal Model”
The specific model Vidal looks at involves a neutron star in tight orbit with a low-mass star, which offers flexibility in controlling the system.
The extraterrestrial civilization would need to develop technology capable of ejecting material from the star in a controlled manner – possibly through asymmetric magnetic fields or devices that cause uneven heating on the star’s surface. Furthermore, placing the necessary machinery on or near the neutron star would make it possible to harness the intense gravity to power the system.
By carefully controlling the activation of the machine at specific points in the orbit, civilization could not only keep the star system moving in a desired direction, but also adjust the trajectory as needed.
This manipulation would even allow changing the direction of movement outside the usual orbital plane, effectively adjusting the neutron star’s orbit around its companion.
Stellar systems – such as “black widow” pulsar PSR J0610-2100 and the “redback” pulsar PSR J2043+1711 – have characteristics that could theoretically correspond to this form of stellar manipulation, says the study.
Although it is highly unlikely that these phenomena are the result of extraterrestrial engineering, they could offer a fascinating basis for future investigations.
