If civilisations are rare but the future is open, should they hibernate until the CMB cools — harvesting 10³⁰× more computation per joule — or exploit an IMBH ergosphere now? Run the numbers on both strategies in one session and let the physics decide.
The aestivation and MTH strategies are only meaningful if civilisations exist and survive to advanced stages. Stage 1 establishes the prior on N. If P(N<1) is high, both strategies are moot — the interesting case is where N ≥ 1 and a civilisation actually faces the decision.
Sandberg et al. argue that waiting until T_CMB ≈ 0 reduces the Landauer floor by (T_now/T_future), multiplying compute-per-joule by the same factor. Bennett et al. reply that cold reservoirs exist today and the gain is at most a few orders of magnitude. This stage computes both sides.
Instead of waiting, the MTH civilisation compresses into the ergosphere of ω Cen's IMBH and begins computing immediately using Blandford-Znajek power. No waiting required — and time dilation near the horizon means the civilisation subjectively computes faster than the exterior universe observes.
Both strategies are evaluated over the same time window Δt from Stage 2. The comparison is: ops_wait (aestivation, using the same energy budget cooled by CMB temperature drop) vs. ops_act (IMBH running continuously over Δt). The Bennett critique is applied as a conservative correction to the wait strategy.
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