Civilizations at the End of Time: Black Hole Farming

2016, Science  -   9 Comments
Ratings: 6.86/10 from 42 users.

Picture this: Trillions of years from now, in a universe where the stars have largely dissipated and all existence is shrouded in chilled darkness, the continuation of human life might still be a possibility. This scenario is explored in the documentary short titled Civilizations at the End of Time: Black Hole Farming, produced by the hugely popular amateur physicist Isaac Arthur.

The film is dense with complex theoretical detail, but even those with no background in science will find much to ponder within its content. Arthur contemplates the fate of civilization and the universe at large if a future Dark Age might occur, and the potential to power a new way of life by harvesting the rotational energy from naturally occurring and artificially-produced black holes.

In the far distant future, if the sun should cease its harmonious collaboration with our planet and grow significantly hotter, reason dictates that all life on Earth would come to an end. But this hypothesis ignores the potential for human ingenuity. Arthur establishes a series of possible remedies to avoid an uninhabitable environment, including the reassembly of our planet or others and the creation of new digital lifeforms. When you consider the implications set forth in the film, it's easy to recognize that civilization as we have known it is nothing but a blip in the context of infinity, and will serve as a mere prologue for the civilization that may exist in a dead universe.

It may sound like far-fetched science fiction - and it is in large measure - but the data Arthur offers in support of his theories are well established and precisely calculated. The film delves deeply into these calculations as it questions the amount of energy needed to sustain life, and the measurements of time in which that life would exist.

Arthur displays a deep enthusiasm and understanding of his topic, and he narrates the film with great command. Attractive graphics, animations and stock footage aptly represent the film's key points. Sections of Civilizations at the End of Time: Black Hole Farming might prove impenetrable for some, but viewers who share a passion for the subject will no doubt savor it.

Directed by: Isaac Arthur

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9 Comments / User Reviews

  1. StopStealing

    I hope no tax dollars such as government grants went for this. If so, we should ask for our money back.

    Some call it "thought provoking". Why waste time thinking about a trillion years from now? Or even 100,000. If you want to think on something, why not solve a real problem?

    Further, there are stars continuing to be born, so unlikely they are all going to be burned out. For all we know in a trillion years there will be very little space. Most of it filled with matter.

    Sound preposterous? Richard Feynman: “ One teacup of empty space contains enough energy to boil all the world’s oceans.” ...and if E=MC^2 or however energy becomes matter as some scientists note that matter pops in and out of existence at times.

    Needless to say no one knows what may happen in 1000 years let alone a trillion. The Marxists may caused everyone to have starved by then anyway.

    Clearly I've wasted more time than anyone should on this.

  2. Elbow

    This should`t be listed as a documentary.

  3. bobby

    Total overreach from reality.
    I would rather farm tomatoes.
    Our planet is dying TODAY and we are concerned about a billion years.
    For those who are not aware, there are mass extinctions going on now.
    Bummer !

  4. jimmy_neutron

    yeah, he is a really nice guy, but the entire page of videos is all speculation and theory based on Star Trek: TNG/V/DS9. if it had something that was actual information based on data produced by real computers and not based on the captians logs, i might be more inclined to call it a documentary, but its fantasy fiction at best.

  5. SwolllenGoat

    Isaac Arthur's channel is a goldmine of great content like this..........y'all go to YouTube and subscribe to the guy

  6. joe nobull

    this entire series is really thought provoking...definitely way over most peoples heads,i suppose it could be because vast majority look at little screens held in their hands and have almost totally forgotten about our little blue planet floating in a vast,vast miracle,and easily destroyed from far greater forces than we are able to control.The big screen above our heads shows truth and facts and adventures at a scale beyond our imagination,although it can create a unsatisfiable thirst,compared to the satisfiable thirst held in most hands today...hopefully future sci/fi film makers will take notes

  7. jimmy_neutron

    idk about this one.. its entirely conjecture. its all based on supposition and/or assumption. the fact of the matter is that we dont know what life anywhere else would do because the sample size is kinda small... like 1.

    i could say that in the future super smart aliens will drive by black holes and suck the anti matter out of them to fuel the engines of their black-hole time machines..

    just too much fantasy:documentary ratio for me to be comfortable wasting an hour on.

  8. john

    I'm continually amazed at the power death anxiety has over humanity. Now we can worry about what will happen to us a trillion years in the future. Humanity is truly sick and fearful. Ernest Becker was right.

  9. Joe

    OH wow, can't believe you featured Isaac Arthur.. This is crazzzzzy.....Love it.