Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Could aliens turn stars into spaceships? Philosopher Clement Vidal suggests advanced civilizations might use neutron stars to propel their entire star systems across the galaxy.
Binary stars, Vidal argues, offer better options for interstellar propulsion than solitary stars. These tightly orbiting pairs could provide the thrust needed for cosmic travel.
Credit: NASA
Escaping supernovae, hunting resources, or exploring might inspire aliens to move entire systems rather than just individual crafts, keeping their home star as a power source.
Using asymmetric magnetic fields or uneven heating, an alien civilization could eject stellar material to create thrust, pushing their system through the galaxy.
Neutron stars, with immense gravitational energy, could host propulsion machinery. Controlled cycles could steer binary systems in precise directions.
Credit: NASA
Astronomers have studied "hypervelocity" stars, which move at extraordinary speeds, but so far, none show signs of alien interference. The hunt continues.
Credit: NASA
Vidal highlights pulsars like PSR J0610-2100 and PSR J2043+1711, whose significant accelerations resemble the traits of a “starship” system worth investigating.
Credit: NASA
Adjusting thrust directions could allow advanced civilizations to chart new paths, moving their systems off-orbit for interstellar exploration.
Credit: NASA
Though current candidates are unlikely to be alien-driven, Vidal’s model sparks curiosity about how interstellar civilizations could engineer such cosmic feats. The possibilities are endless.