What would it take to turn an entire planet into a factory, a farm, or a fortress? In this episode, Jacob and Lucas explore the concept of dedicated planets—worlds that serve a single purpose within a vast interstellar civilization. From the toxic, molten surfaces of forge worlds that produce endless streams of metal, to the idyllic agri worlds that feed billions, we examine how these ideas from Star Wars, Warhammer 40K, and classic sci-fi might hold up under the laws of physics.

Could Mercury become a real forge world for humanity? Would a galactic empire ever rely on a single planet for its food supply? And why might specialized worlds make a civilization more vulnerable than powerful? Along the way, the discussion touches on energy limits, supply chains, planetary engineering, and the ethics of using entire populations as tools for empire.

We end by asking a bigger question—if a civilization reaches the scale of a galactic empire, does it make more sense to build in space than on planets at all?

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