What will the next great invention be?

 

What will the next great invention be?
Originally Answered: What is the coolest invention that could happen?

I humbly present the Dyson Sphere…

(The Dyson Sphere)

Even if we could construct a Dyson Sphere humanity would be capable of anything. The structure is a closed shell around a star and it harnesses the star’s energy.

The Kardashev Scale describes the level of technological advancement as civilization has reached. If they can harness all the energy from their planet they are level one. Harnessing all the energy in the solar system is Stage 2. Harnessing all the energy in your galaxy is Stage 3. It is assumed that it is impossible to reach all the energy in the universe* which would be a stage 4. A Dyson Sphere would catapult us to Stage 2.

(Harnessing all the energy in the Milky Way is the final stage of humanity’s technological innovation)

It happens that only 1 km squared of solar panels placed in the correct place in the Sahara can power the earth 11 times over. Imagine what a Dyson sphere could do.

(Freeman Dyson)

The concept was supported by the reputed Freeman Dyson (hence the name) but there are severe problems with it. Interestingly there physics of the structure means that once it is in place it would be perfectly stable, but the problem is getting it as such.

All in all I would say the Dyson Sphere definitely qualifies as one of the coolest inventions ever if we could pull it off.

*Being able to harness all the energy in the universe would defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics as it would imply that there is no entropy.

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