The Dyson Sphere

On October 14, 2015, Planet Hunters' citizen scientists discovered unusual light fluctuations of the star KIC 8462852 raising press speculation that a Dyson sphere may have been discovered. However, subsequent analysis showed that the results were consistent with the presence of dust.

In 2024 there was press speculation that potential signs of interstellar Dyson spheres had been discovered.

The seven objects of interest – all located within a thousand light-years of Earth – were M-dwarfs, a class of stars that are smaller and less luminous than the Sun. However, the authors of the findings were careful not to make any overblown claims. Despite this, many media outlets picked up on the story.

Less fantastical explanations included a suggestion that the detected infrared was caused by distant dust-obscured galaxies.