Talk:Dyson Sphere Construction/@comment-36503198-20180901185910/@comment-26256072-20190421235330

In response to your points:

1. The gravity of a stellar-mass black hole would only be a problem if you got too close to it. At 1 AU, it would be no different than orbiting a normal star. In fact, a black hole could be used in much the same way as a star, as you can steal energy from its ergosphere.

2. If constructed out of sufficiently durable materials, a Dyson sphere could actually be used to contain a supernova, sequestering the radiation so it can't harm the residents of nearby planetary systems. Alternatively, the surplus mass could be extracted as the star reaches the end of its life, allowing for controlled demolition of the star and possible creation of a new one via nuclear fusion.

3. Red dwarf stars would be the most economical for Dyson spheres: they're smaller and therefore cheaper to contain, they last about 60 billion years, and they don't create supernovas or black holes when they die. Bigger stars would only be captured once our civilization starts pushing Kardashev level 3, as the demand for energy would skyrocket.