Space Derelicts & Trash Worlds
Isaac Arthur・19 minutes read
Science fiction explores the idea of civilizations living among abandoned ruins in space, challenging the concept of archeological discoveries in our history. Advanced civilizations would efficiently recycle raw materials, making the idea of abandoned planets as waste dumps unlikely.
Insights
- Advanced civilizations are unlikely to abandon planets due to efficient recycling and raw material needs, challenging common science fiction narratives of abandoned civilizations in space.
- Investigating derelict ships and abandoned habitats can be perilous due to potential hazards like killer robots, feral pets, and dangerous individuals, highlighting the complex and risky nature of exploring abandoned structures in a vast civilization's landscape.
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Recent questions
What challenges do spacefaring civilizations face?
Spacefaring civilizations face challenges such as efficient recycling, raw material needs, automation, energy production, and settlement on other worlds.
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Summary
00:00
"Space civilizations and abandoned worlds exploration"
- Science fiction often portrays archeologists and tomb raiders discovering ancient ruins, but the idea of entire civilizations dedicated to this is intriguing.
- The Fermi Paradox and galaxy-spanning civilizations challenge the realism of abandoned ships or civilizations in space.
- Analogies to our own history don't align with spacefaring civilizations' capabilities.
- Archeological past often consists of repurposed items or those with cultural or religious significance.
- Planets are unlikely to be abandoned like tombs or temples due to ravaging, repair, or reuse.
- Advanced civilizations would not abandon planets as waste dumps due to efficient recycling and raw material needs.
- Settlement on other worlds requires good automation, energy production, and raw materials.
- Ruins, derelicts, and trash planets are part of a vast civilization's landscape, dwarfing us in scale.
- Decommissioned space habitats and megastructures could house trillions of people in a Kardashev-2 civilization.
- Abandoned habitats might become necropolises or be quarantined due to various reasons, necessitating careful handling and disposal.
14:14
Exploring dangers and opportunities in abandoned ships
- Investigating derelict ships can be dangerous due to potential hazards like killer robots, feral pets, and axe-crazy lunatics.
- In the Warhammer 40k universe, individuals explore abandoned ships and cities, encountering mutants, aliens, and ancient technology.
- Insurance investigators and salvage teams spend years examining derelict ships, waiting for court settlements on ownership and liability.
- Underfunded storage yards of derelict ships can attract shady individuals looking to occupy or profit from looted goods.
- Squatters and rogues may inhabit abandoned habitats, prompting oversight authorities to turn a blind eye to encourage their departure.
- Inhabitants of decommissioned habitats may transition to digital existence, leading to the repurposing of structures for other uses.
- Abandoned facilities, failed colonies, and derelict ships provide opportunities for salvage, plunder, and squatting, creating unique cultures and economies.
