It sounds like science fiction, but building a giant ball around the sun to harness its power could be closer than you think - we just have to blow up the planet Mercury. An emerging technology expert has claimed that we can start building a Dyson sphere (a sort of spherical solar panel) that would give us more energy than we will ever need within a matter of decades. George Dvorsky said that by ‘taking apart’ the whole of Mercury, asteroids and even other planets like Venus we can gather enough material to complete the huge project. Mercury, as captured by the Messenger spacecraft: Mining the planet could offer humanity raw materials for the next stage in its evolution
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Scientists aim to begin project within 25 years
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'Spherical solar generator' made of orbiting panels
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We would have to demolish Venus, Mercury and several asteroids
It all sounds well and good but even Dvorsky admits there are a number of hurdles - not least the fact that no astronaut has ever been to @placeholder.