Hello, SFIA audio listeners. In this month's Nebula exclusive, big alien theory,

we're asking the reason alien civilizations might be rare is because most aliens are huge.

To hear it and every episode early and ad-free, plus hours of bonus content,

check out go.nebola.tv slash Isaac Arthur and use my code, Isaac Arthur.

This episode is brought to you by Brilliant.

Throughout history, great and terrible rulers have sought to conquer the entire world.

Personally, I think such a limited goal shows a lack of imagination and ambition.

So say we're beginning a new series on Galactic Domination here on Science and Futurism with Isaac Arthur, and I am your aforementioned host, Isaac Arthur.

In this series we're going to be looking at approaches to taking over the galaxy, whether it's

colonizing a lifeless galaxy or concrete one already inhabited, we're going to taking over the galaxy, whether it's colonizing a lifeless galaxy or

conquering one already inhabited, we're going to look at the mechanics under known science

and how that will impact things, but we'll also look at the motivations for a galactic power

grab. With that in mind, we will start our series with two of the biggest tries for expansion

our own history, outright imperial conquest,

and an urge to hold all together and keep it held together in today's episode.

Then in episode 2, stellar strip mining, we look at the motivation of resource seizure and extraction.

Now a common problem in discussion of interstellar efforts is the sheer amount of time and effort

needed to accomplish anything, and the sheer amount of time and effort needed to accomplish

anything. And the usual workaround in science fiction is some form of FTR travel,

faster than light travel, and while we want to look at the slower than light pathways

to establishing and maintaining galactic domination, we will look at the faster light context too.

With that in mind, we will also finally be

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