Trantor, Coruscant, and Beyond: The Science of Planet-Spanning Cities
What happens when a city doesn’t just sprawl across continents but covers an entire planet? In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas explore the concept of the ecumenopolis—a world completely urbanized from pole to pole. From the classic depictions of Coruscant in Star Wars and Trantor in Foundation, to the grim hive cities of Warhammer 40K, we dig into the science and engineering challenges of building a planet-wide metropolis.We break down population math, vertical megastructures, the paradox of elevators, and the role of food, energy, and infrastructure in making such a world function. But the real constraint isn’t space or even energy—it’s heat. Could a quadrillion humans cook their own planet just by existing? And what would it take to keep a city-planet from overheating?If you’ve ever wondered whether Earth could become one massive city—or what life would be like inside a two-mile-tall building where generations never leave—this episode is for you.Support the showWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/
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Post-Scarcity: When Nothing Is Rare, What Matters?
What happens when scarcity disappears? In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas explore the idea of a post-scarcity civilization — a future where food, energy, and even housing are so abundant they stop being economic factors. But does abundance guarantee happiness, or does it create new problems?We break down the levels of post-scarcity (from basic survival to simulated utopia), question whether inequality and control still exist in an age of abundance, and debate the biggest paradox of all: if nothing is scarce, what still gives life meaning?From Star Trek’s replicators to Black Mirror–style dystopias, we’ll dive into the promises and dangers of a world beyond scarcity — and ask whether humanity is ready for it.Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/EntropyRising?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkSupport the showWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/
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Farming Black Holes: The Ultimate Power Source of the Universe
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/EntropyRising?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkBook The Receiver :https://www.amazon.com/Receiver-Sci-Fi-First-Contact-Techno-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0FDCLRVZ3/?maas=maas_adg_E4E6F6D9397B531ABBCC7F5A5B49CE8F_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maasBlack holes aren’t just cosmic monsters — they might be the ultimate power plants of the universe. In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas explore how civilizations could harvest unimaginable amounts of energy from black holes. From accretion disks and the Penrose process to Hawking radiation and even quasar jets, we break down the science, the possibilities, and the dangers.Could farming a black hole make a civilization Type III on the Kardashev Scale? How would we actually build a Dyson Swarm around one? And what would it mean for the far future, when stars burn out and black holes are the last engines of the cosmos?We’ll talk about:How black holes convert matter to energy with insane efficiencyWhy accretion disks could outshine entire galaxiesThe mind-bending Penrose process and rotational energyHawking radiation as a long-term power sourceThe terrifying potential of black holes as weaponsIf you’re into space, futurism, and hard science, this episode will take you to the edge of physics and beyond.Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why harvest black holes? 04:00 Accretion disks & Dyson swarms 12:00 Hawking radiation explained 20:00 The Penrose process 27:00 Quasars and black hole jets 36:00 Black holes as weapons 41:00 Civilization endgameSupport the showWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/
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Von Neumann Probes: The Self-Replicating Robots That Could Consume the Galaxy
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/EntropyRising?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkFollow us on treads: https://www.threads.net/@entropyrisingpodcastWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/What happens when machines can build more of themselves—and never stop? In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas unravel the strange, fascinating world of von Neumann probes: self-replicating systems that could mine asteroids, build Dyson swarms, and maybe even terraform entire planets. But the same tech could go off the rails—accidentally wiping out alien life, turning planets into grey goo, or mutating into something far worse. Are these machines the key to a post-scarcity future, or the seeds of cosmic disaster? We explore the science, the speculation, and the existential questions behind one of the most provocative ideas in futurism.Stick around for a bonus post-show discussion—available free on our PatreonSupport the showWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/
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Beyond the Kardashev Scale: Unpacking Civilizations, Energy and Alternative Metrics
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/EntropyRising?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkFollow us on treads: https://www.threads.net/@entropyrisingpodcastWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/In this episode of Entropy Rising, Jacob and Lucas take a hard look at the Kardashev scale – a framework that ranks civilizations by the amount of energy they can harness – and ask whether it still serves as a meaningful tool today. After recapping Nikolai Kardashev’s original three-tier model and its purpose as a search tool for SETI, the hosts explore Carl Sagan’s numerical refinements, where Type I civilizations use ~10¹⁶ W, Type II tap ~10²⁶ W and Type III reach ~10³⁶ W. They question why humanity sits around Type 0.7 and debate whether the capability to modify our planet’s climate and harness agricultural energy counts toward Type I status.The discussion then shifts to just how staggering the jump from Type I to Type II really is: a ten‑billion‑fold increase that would give each person on Earth the energy budget of an entire modern civilization. This segues into a critique of pop‑culture portrayals—why even Star Wars’ galactic empire doesn’t qualify as Type II—and an examination of how Kardashev’s framework overlooks differences between star types and the feasibility of empire‑scale coordination. The hosts introduce the Barrow scale and other proposals that categorize civilizations by their ability to manipulate matter (from genetic engineering to subatomic control), arguing that energy alone cannot describe technological sophistication. They also consider metrics based on computational capacity or semiconductor size, suggesting that once contact with extraterrestrial societies is possible, energy use may become less relevant.This candid exploration interrogates assumptions, challenges popular misconceptions and highlights the need for multiple scales to capture the complexity of advanced civilizations.Support the showWebsite: https://www.entropy-rising.com/
Entropy Rising is a podcast where hosts Jacob and Lucas explore everything from today’s cutting-edge technology to futuristic concepts like Dyson spheres, discussing how these advancements will impact society. Dive into deep conversations about innovation, the future, and the societal shifts that come with the technology of tomorrow or the next thousand years.
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