How much energy would be necessary to dismantle the Earth?

Imagine that one day humanity decides to dismantle the planet and convert it to space colonies with a much larger combined inner surface surface than the previous Earth's surface. One possible way to do this would be to create numerous cosmic lifts: nanotuber ropes extending from equator to counterweight to geosynchronous orbit. The advanced network of the cosmic elevator could carry almost arbitrarily loading up with armies of robotic climbers. But the dismantling of the whole planet could take a while. The Earth contains about 6 × 10

24 kg of weight, which would require 1.2 × 10 32 j. However, gravity would not be constant: but after removing a considerable amount of material from the planet, its grave would be significantly reduced. As a very rough estimate, let's say this effect reduces energy requirements to approximately half of what it would be if gravity remained constant in1 g. We also ignore the complex effects of gravitational interactions between massive colonies in orbit and energy costs for additional scattering in the ground-month system.

The final estimated energy costs, 6 × 10

31 , are very large, but it is not necessary to be out of reach of advanced solar civilization. As Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." This value is "only" about one hundred billion times higher than the global energy consumption of humanity in 2004. Energy production and humanity consumption increased exponentially from the industrial revolution. It seems likely that at some point of the distant future we will achieve such huge populations and energy capacity (solar and nuclear) that could be feasible if it were desirable.

consider the use of solar energy as a source of energy to disassemble Earth. The strength couldto be collected by astronomically the size of network solar panels orbiting mercury orbiting and moving energy back to the ground using a 50% efficient network of relay stations. The total solar flow is about 4 × 10 26 watts. Imagine a giant solar panel network so large that they absorb full 1% of the solar flow. Being very thin, they wouldn't work so many things and could be constructed using the asteroid belt materials.

Assuming 50% of the effective solar panels absorbing 1% of the solar flow and sending energy back to Earth with 50% efficiency, enough energy to disassemble the Earth in just six days.

Of course, the practical matters of building robots and cosmic elevators and miners will benefit all the Earth's material and send it to orbit is impressive. However, if humanity continues for many millions of years, we will have a lot of time to do it. The calculations show that there is enough energy from the sun to try it, due to sufficientAdvanced robotics. Whether it is really possible to dismantle the country or not, we just have to wait and see. Less than a hundred years ago, many important scientists and missile experts believed that traveling to the Moon would be physically impossible.