LVC 4 – Question 5
The existence of a structure such as X has been hypothesized by Y (in fact, X is named after Y).
The idea is that any sufficiently advanced civilization would build such a structure in order to efficiently harness the energy of its central star (since most intelligent life is believed to reside in a star system). Y even went on to calculate the wavelengths within which such a structure would radiate energy into space, and claimed that if any radiation were to be found in this range, it would be proof of an advanced alien civilization.
There is an episode of Star Trek TNG which prominently features a (presumably dead) civilization’s Y. Also, I’m certain this episode holds sentimental reasons for Trekkies due to certain special guest appearances.
Of course, give me X and Y.
Hint (not so direct one) : Duke Nukem Forever!
Answer : The Dyson sphere (DNF is famous vaporware, which was coined by Esther Dyson, Freeman Dyson’s daughter).
Cracked by Mithilesh, Sudarshan Narayanan, Shrey Goyal and Varun Karthik.
Intricate Ramblings 
Dyson Sphere and Freeman Dyson (I primarily got it via the Star Trek clue 🙂 )
mithileshg
July 5, 2012 at 6:50 am
And I have a go for the LVC.. Self replicating spacecrafts?
mithileshg
July 5, 2012 at 7:01 am
And Sethi tells me you haven’t credited me for the Futurama answer? What gives??
mithileshg
July 5, 2012 at 7:04 am
The structure X is Dyson Sphere and its existence was hypothesized by American Theoretical Physicist, Freeman Dyson.
Varun Karthik
July 5, 2012 at 9:53 am
Dyson Sphere by Freeman Dysan; The TNG Episode in question being ‘Relics’, featuring cameos by Doohan and Barrett…
Shrey Goyal (@ShreyGoyal)
July 5, 2012 at 5:19 pm
As for the LVC, I’ll go from super-specific to super-generic now: Is it about the technological singularity?
Shrey Goyal (@ShreyGoyal)
July 5, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Freeman Dyson and the Dyson Sphere
Sudharsan Narayanan
July 6, 2012 at 3:18 am
LVC – 2nd attempt:
Both the novel “2001: Space Odyssey” and “Futurama” showed a glimpse of world in Future.
A von Neumann probe is a hypothetical spacefaring probe designed to self-replicate using raw materials found in any star system. It is named after Professor John von Neumann. The best-known appearance of a von Neumann probe was in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which portrayed a von Neumann probe as a black monolith.
The true purpose Monolith was that it was a stargate (jumpgate). It briefly appeared in a second season episode of Futurama labelled “out-of-order” on the surface of a Jupiter’s moon.
Both Freeman Dyson and Stanislaw Ulam made appearances in the 1980 documentary “The Day After Trinity”.
Varun Karthik
July 6, 2012 at 3:50 am