Creating matter from light

[Janus58]

If we could capture energy from the sun or interstellar space and convert it efficiently into matter perhaps we could ensure a steady supply or resources for future generations as we colonize space.

At the Earth's distance from the Sun, at 100% conversion efficiency, you could only produce 1 gram of matter per square meter of captured sunlight every 2000 yrs. In other words, it would likely take millions of years just to break even on the mass needed to build the capture and conversion facility.

 

[mmatt9876]

At the Earth's distance from the Sun, at 100% conversion efficiency, you could only produce 1 gram of matter per square meter of captured sunlight every 2000 yrs. In other words, it would likely take millions of years just to break even on the mass needed to build the capture and conversion facility.

Thanks for the reply. It sounds like converting light into matter is a time consuming endeavor.

 

[mmatt9876]

I think I saw on television once that light may be able to be focused into a powerful laser to bend space time and create a wormhole. Perhaps we could use that wormhole, if it possible to create one that way, or at all, to not only travel across space but also siphon or collect resources from far away places too, like hydrogen from inside a star. Not exactly creating matter from light but instead using light to obtain matter.

 

[billvon]

If we could capture energy from the sun or interstellar space and convert it efficiently into matter perhaps we could ensure a steady supply or resources for future generations as we colonize space.

You are much better off using solar energy to convert "expended" matter (i.e. CO2 and water) back into useful resources (i.e. oil.)

 

[mmatt9876]

You are much better off using solar energy to convert "expended" matter (i.e. CO2 and water) back into useful resources (i.e. oil.)

That makes sense. I am not even sure how much more energy it would take to create a laser beam strong enough to bend space time than it would to gut recycle byproducts back into fuel.