Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2202.03364

The Cosmic Hitchhikers Hypothesis: Extraterrestrial Civilizations Using Free-Floating Planets for Interstellar Colonization

Irina K. Romanovskaya
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

I propose the Cosmic Hitchhikers hypothesis as follows. Advanced extraterrestrial civilizations may use free-floating planets as interstellar transportation for space exploration and interstellar colonization. Large groups or populations of their biological species, post-biological species, and technologies may become Cosmic Hitchhikers when they ride free-floating planets to reach, explore and colonize planetary systems. To get an interstellar ride, Cosmic Hitchhikers may travel to free-floating planets passing close by their home worlds. Otherwise, they may use astronomical engineering to steer free-floating planets toward their home planetary systems. Cosmic Hitchhikers may also ride objects native to the outer regions of their planetary systems, which become free-floating planets when ejected by astronomical engineering or by their stars during the asymptotic giant branch evolution. During interstellar travel, Cosmic Hitchhikers may apply astronomical engineering to steer their free-floating planets toward the planetary systems of their choice. Whereas riding free-floating planets may not save travel time, it avoids the technical challenges of interstellar spacecraft transporting large populations. Each civilization of Cosmic Hitchhikers may colonize several planetary systems. Its colonies may grow into autonomous civilizations, changing the number of civilizations in the Galaxy. Over the last 4 billion years, Cosmic Hitchhikers or their artifacts riding free-floating planets might have passed by the Solar System. Therefore, their artifacts might exist in the Solar System or in our stellar neighborhood. SETI and SETA should include the search for Cosmic Hitchhikers and their artifacts. Keywords: SETI, SETA, free-floating planet, extraterrestrial civilization, interstellar travel, interstellar colonization, artifact, Cosmic Hitchhikers

Explore related subjects

physics.pop-ph

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Irina K. Romanovskaya. 2022-01-12. The Cosmic Hitchhikers Hypothesis: Extraterrestrial Civilizations Using Free-Floating Planets for Interstellar Colonization. https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.03364

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Understanding Quaternions and the Dirac Belt Trick

The Dirac belt trick is often employed in physics classrooms to show that a $2π$ rotation is not topologically equivalent to the absence of rotation whereas a $4π$ rotation is, mirroring a key property of quaternions and their isomorphic cousins, spinors. The belt trick can leave the student wondering if a real understanding of quaternions and spinors has been achieved, or if the trick is just an amusing analogy. The goal of this paper is to demystify the belt trick and to show that it implies an underlying \emph{four-dimensional} parameter space for rotations that is simply connected. An investigation into the geometry of this four-dimensional space leads directly to the system of quaternions, and to an interpretation of three-dimensional vectors as the generators of rotations in this larger four-dimensional world. The paper also shows why quaternions are the natural extension of complex numbers to four dimensions. The level of the paper is suitable for undergraduate students of physics.

physics.pop-ph↗
arXiv2026

Project Setu: 3D Multi-Physics Design and Scaled Structural Analysis for a Relativistic Lightsail Architecture

Deep-space exploration beyond the solar system requires eliminating chemical propellant mass penalties to achieve relativistic flight velocities (0.166c at 180 s, reaching the mission target of 0.20c at 227 s). This study presents a 3D multi-physics numerical framework for a 4.0-meter circular lightsail propelled by a 100 GW ground laser array, coupling 3D Maxwell FDTD wave optics, non-linear membrane mechanics, and Stefan-Boltzmann thermal radiation in ANSYS Mechanical APDL and Ansys Lumerical. A four-level grid convergence study establishes numerical independence with an ASME GCI_21 of 0.13%, resolving peak membrane stresses of 530.88 MPa with a 3.77x safety factor against stoichiometric Si3N4 tensile failure. With optical absorption constrained to 10 ppm (A = 1.0 x 10^-5), the steady-state core temperature stabilizes at 923.02 K (0.44% deviation from radiation theory), maintaining a +1,247 K margin below sublimation, while fundamental drumhead modal resonance (7.92 Hz) provides a 7.92x safety buffer against laser jitter. The electrodynamic radiation pressure formulation is cross-verified against published flight telemetry from JAXA IKAROS and NASA LightSail 2 within 0.12% and 2.13%, confirming classical momentum transfer modeling across solar and beamed propulsion regimes.

physics.pop-ph↗
arXiv2026

Sunsets, tall buildings and the Earth's radius

It is shown how repeated observations of the sunset from various points up a tall building can be used to determine the Earth's radius. The same observations can also be used, at some latitudes, to deduce an approximate value for the amount of atmospheric refraction at the horizon.

physics.pop-ph↗