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How to Move the Sun: Stellar Engines

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Cosmology & astrophysicsSpace exploration & spaceflightFuturism & technology and society

What it is

Kurzgesagt explains stellar engines such as the Shkadov thruster and Caplan thruster, which could move the Sun and solar system across the galaxy over millions of years to avoid hazards and reach new regions.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN returns to it whenever moving the solar system, Kardashev civilizations or generation ships come up, with some calling it their favorite Kurzgesagt video.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “Out of every video Kurzgesagt has ever produced, my favorite is this one”

    Stellar engine a type II civilization could use to move a star.

    Diti, 2021-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Kardashev Scale”

  2. “Kurzgesagt has an excellent video on building a stellar engine to move our solar system at up to 50 light years per million years.”

    Stellar engine moving the solar system up to 50 light years per million years.

    gcanyon, 2024-02 · Strong recommendation · in “Grabby Aliens (2021)”

  3. “I was amazed to know that theoretically we can move our solar system.”

    Shows how the solar system could theoretically be moved.

    Darmody, 2020-08 · Recommendation · in “Spaceship Earth”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: stellar engine, shkadov thruster, caplan thruster, kardashev scale, megastructures, kurzgesagt

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