A light pipe is an architectural element widely used on tidally locked planets, particularly Tallis, to distribute natural sunlight throughout buildings and underground structures. These devices consist of large cylindrical tubes made of highly reflective materials that efficiently channel sunlight from the perpetually lit exterior to interior spaces.
Light pipes have been integral to Tallisite architecture since the earliest settlements, with archaeological evidence dating primitive forms back to approximately -5000. The first light pipes were simple shafts cut into rock formations, lined with polished metal to reflect sunlight into underground dwellings. These early designs were crucial for early Tallisite communities seeking shelter from intense dayside sunlight.
The introduction of glass-blowing techniques around -3000 marked a significant improvement, allowing for more efficient light transmission and the ability to bend light around corners. The Tallisite Industrial Revolution (c. -200 to -20) brought mass production techniques for high-quality reflective materials, making light pipes a standard feature in most structures.
Modern Tallisite light pipes consist of three main components:
State-of-the-art Tallisite light pipes can transmit up to 90% of captured sunlight over distances of 10 kilometres or more. They are ubiquitous on Tallis, used in residential structures, agricultural facilities, public spaces, and industrial complexes.
Light pipes feature prominently in Tallisite art, literature, and religious practices. Many Tallisite creation myths involve deities using cosmic light pipes to bring life to the planet's dark side. As Tallisites colonized other tidally locked worlds, light pipe technology spread, becoming common throughout tidally locked colonies in the known galaxy.