The Kardashev Scale: Understanding the Evolution of Civilizations
We're not exactly the cream of the crop when it comes to civilizations. According to the great Michio Kaku, we're barely scraping by as a Type 0 civilization, relying on fossil fuel and dead plants for energy. But fear not; with some technological advancements and a little ambition, we could reach Type I in the next hundred years. The next century of science could be the make or break for humanity. Will we crumble under pressure or rise to the challenge and become a Type I civilization? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure — it's time to step up our game before we're the laughingstock of the galaxy.
I present you a scale of measurement — The Kardashev scale, which Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev proposed in 1964, measures a civilization's technological advancement based on the amount of energy it can harness and control. The scale ranges from Type 0 to Type IV, with each type representing a different level of technological advancement. Other scientists like Carl Sagan and Michio Kaku have either worked on refining or expanding this scale.
Earth's current technological level is type 0, where most energy comes from fossil fuels. Type I civilizations have harnessed all their planet's energy and begun utilizing their star's energy. Type II civilizations have harnessed all the energy of their star and started using the energy of their galaxy. Type III civilizations have harnessed all the energy of their galaxy and have begun to utilize the energy of other galaxies. Type IV civilizations have harnessed all the energy of the observable universe.
To make the Kardashev scale more relatable, Guillermo A. Lemarchand uses the example of sending a volume of information equivalent to a medium-sized library across the galaxy to explain the differences in transmission speed between civilizations. A type II civilization would be able to send this information in just 100 seconds, while it would take a type III civilization just 3 seconds to send the same amount of information to the entire observable universe. These distinctions are based on the assumption of a yearly growth rate of 1% and it’s estimated that it will take humanity 3,200 years to reach Type II and 5,800 years to reach Type III, which are separated by a growth rate of several billion. — Wikipedia
The scale is hypothetical, and it is unclear if any civilization has yet reached Type III or Type IV. However, it is a valuable framework for thinking about how civilizations might progress and evolve. It is also important to note that the scale is not a measurement of civilization's biological development or moral or cultural advancement.
One of the exciting aspects of the scale is that it highlights the potential for a civilization to harness and control an enormous amount of energy. This is the energy required to explore and understand the universe at its fundamental level and the energy needed to build advanced technologies such as faster-than-light travel and manipulating the fabric of space-time.
Let's look at how these civilizations can use technology to harness this energy.
Type I civilization can use fusion power when hydrogen atoms are combined to release energy. Another way is by using antimatter, which is a kind of matter that is the opposite of regular matter. When it collides with ordinary matter, it releases a lot of energy. Another way is using renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. But even using all these methods, humans will likely need more power to reach a Type I civilization. However, if we were to build giant space-based solar power stations, it could generate that much power.
Type II civilization can harness the energy from multiple planets in multiple systems. They might use Dyson spheres and giant structures surrounding a star to capture all of its energy. They could also feed a star into a black hole and collect its energy. They might also move stars to different places.
Type III civilization can harness the energy from all the stars in one or more galaxies. They might also get energy from the black holes at the center of galaxies or white holes, gamma-ray bursts, and quasars. These methods are not currently possible with our current technology, but they are theoretically possible for a highly advanced civilization.
The possibility of contact with extraterrestrial civilizations raises questions about the likelihood of civilizations reaching different levels on the scale. If a Type III or Type IV civilization exists, it could harness and control energy at a level beyond human comprehension. This opens up the possibility of advanced technologies and a vastly different understanding of the universe.
As human civilization has progressed through history, we've seen significant changes like the Industrial Revolution. Similarly, as civilization moves up the Kardashev scale, it could mean substantial changes and challenges because they've surpassed the limits of resources on their home planet. Some people think that as civilization moves from Type 0 to Type I, it could lead to self-destruction because they may run out of room to grow on their planet.
They may also use too much energy and make their planet too hot for life — for example, global warming is an issue Earth is battling with. But, these problems may not happen if they use advanced technology and engineering. Also, when a civilization reaches Type I, it may have colonized other planets or built big colonies in space to spread the waste heat. As the civilization moves up the scale, the limitation of biological life forms and the evolution of technology may lead to the transformation of the civilization through mind uploading and artificial general intelligence. All this makes me excited; I don't know about you.
The Kardashev Scale is an exciting roadmap to understanding civilizations' evolution. From using up all the energy on our planet to harnessing the power of entire stars and maybe even entire galaxies. One day, we'll be sending out a distress signal to the universe, begging for more energy to fuel our insatiable appetite for progress. Until then, let's just stick to using renewable energy and not turn our planet into a giant toaster oven.
