9 Places We Could Build Space Colonies

3. Dyson Sphere

The Dyson Sphere treads that fine line between science fiction and science future.

Generally speaking, a Dyson Sphere would be used as a way of gathering massive amounts of solar energy. The basic concept consists of a structure, either a kind of shell or swarm of satellites, enclosing a star and gathering the energy it boots out. Although it's more of a gigantic solar panel than a space colony, there's no good reason why we could live on it as well.

Life aboard a Dyson Sphere might be similar to a space station. You wouldn't experience day and night cycles in the same way as on a planet, as it is designed to constantly face the sun.

That's if you were present to experience it. There are some who think that a Dyson Sphere would be the preferable means by which to power something called a Matrioshka Brain. This is a giant super-computer to which the entire population can upload their consciousness and live in a virtual reality world.

Depending on your recommended daily dose, you could argue that this might have already happened.