Part 8/15:
A key insight is the role of proof-of-work mining beyond Bitcoin's economic function. In a spacefaring civilization, mining could evolve into a cornerstone of energy infrastructure—connecting the generation of energy to the validation of currency. Mining operations on planets or moons could serve as energy markets, where proof-of-work incentivizes the development of efficient power grids and resource extraction.
The scarcity of mining capability across furthest colonies would create a "mining gap," leading colonies to develop their own currencies to avoid dependence on Earth-based miners. These locally native blockchains could be more resilient and tailored to their environmental and political realities, ultimately fueling interplanetary economic independence but also division.