Service Worlds - What are they and why might they matter?

PSETI Seminar
Manasvi Lingam, Florida Institute of Technology
March 18, 2021

Abstract:
The significance of commensal searches for technosignatures in the context of characterizing exoplanets is increasingly being recognized. In this talk, I will outline the notion of "service worlds", i.e., hypothetical worlds exclusively oriented toward specific technological activities. I will subsequently discuss some examples of possible service worlds, their putative decoupling from biosignatures, and the advantages insofar as technosignature detection is concerned. The relevance of these service worlds to the Drake equation and the ensuing ramifications for future technosignature surveys will also be sketched.