Dyson tree

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dyson-tree

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific concept?Hypothetical genetically engineered plant designed for extraterrestrial habitation
2. What is the proposed location?Comet nuclei, serving as a resource base and structural foundation
3. How would a Dyson tree survive on a comet?It would use the comet’s ice and minerals for water and nutrients, and its leaves would capture the weak sunlight for photosynthesis, plus it might use chemical energy from the comet.
4. What would a Dyson tree do inside a comet?It could hollow out parts of the comet or grow into a big spherical shell, producing oxygen and nitrogen to make a breathable atmosphere inside.

Genetic Engineering: The direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology to introduce desired traits.
Terraforming: The hypothetical process of modifying a planet's atmosphere, temperature, surface topography, and ecology to be similar to Earth's.
Chemosynthesis: The biological conversion of chemical energy into chemical energy, often used by organisms in environments without sunlight.
Astro-engineering: The hypothetical engineering of structures or systems on an astronomical scale, often for space colonization or resource utilization.