What Do Alien Civilizations Look Like? The Kardashev Scale
What is Kardashev Scale?
Kardashev scale classifies civilizations depending based on their energy harvesting and consuming capabilities. On that basis, the civilizations were classified into three categories, namely Type-1, Type-2, and Type-3.
In 1964, Nikolai Kardashev, a Russian astrophysicist, created the so-called Kardashev civilization classification scale.
With time, the Kardashev scale got some modifications, and physicist Carl Sagan did a major modification. Sagan came up with an interpolation formula for the Kardashev theory to rate the civilization based on energy consumption. (Note: This formula is not a part of the original Kardashev theory). This formula converted the discrete scale into a continuous one.
K = Rating of civilization
P = Power used by the civilization
The Kardashev Scale, as it is called, now lists 7 levels of civilizations based on their power consumption and implicitly on their technological advancement and extension.
Type 0
A Pre-Planetary Civilization that harnesses the energy, information, and raw materials solely from planetary resources and can travel beyond its home planet to its closest satellite.
As you might have guessed, that’s our good old human selves. We’re currently at about 0.75 on the Kardashev Scale. It is presumed we’ll reach Type I around 2100 AD, give or take, depending on how fast our technology advances.
Type I
A Planetary Civilization can harness the total energy of its home planet and can travel to other planets in its solar system. It extracts its energy, information, and raw materials from fission and fusion power, and renewable resources; is capable of interplanetary spaceflight and communication; planetary engineering; medical breakthroughs to eliminate disease and slow aging; multi-planetary government (e.g., governments on the Moon and Mars); the species is tech augmented; but is still vulnerable to extinction.
This civilization would have access to energy between 1016 – 1017 watts. To have such energy levels, we need to have fusion power and solar power. A Type I Civilization would do this on their planet itself.
Nuclear fusion and thorium fission reactors are common, and with globally linked solar, wind, and ocean wave power, energy is abundant and cheap. This solves the problem of the Earth running out of fossil fuels which have become very expensive and polluting to the environment. Hydrogen and biofuels replace expensive oil. Space-based solar power platforms join the global energy network via wireless power transmission and beamed energy.
Advances in longevity science slow the aging process so that the dominant species can live 200+ years. The universal translator works for all home planet languages. A world language is adopted. Cloning of some species and full genetic mapping of any species is achieved. Disruption of world economies is almost completely preventable with adopting a universal cryptocurrency and decentralized financial system not controlled by governments. A decentralized global world economy arises. Local cultures will co-exist with a thriving global culture. Intellectual capitalism replaces commodity capitalism. Continental governments are formed, funding world bodies to combat common threats such as epidemics and other extinction events, terrorism, and dictatorships.
Tech implants can replace any body part except the brain, which links to a network with hive possibilities. The brain is enhanced by virtual reality neural links.
Colonization of the moon where the major industries are launch platforms for spacecraft, orbital habitats, and satellite systems. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) sizable megastructures are being built and populated.
Genetic manipulation leads to the elimination of defects and domestic diseases. Genetically engineered viruses are used to treat cancers and phages to treat bacterial infections.
Ability to move asteroids and NEOs away from Earth to prevent collisions or towards Earth and mine them.
Colonization of other planets with advances in terraforming and spacecraft reaching high sub-light speeds.
Self-replicating robot systems developed and used in deep-sea mining, mega-construction, solar system mining operations, and colony construction. Construction of androids, humanoid holograms, and self-aware artificial intelligence. Fears of a technological singularity introduce manufacturing regulations, remote control, and emergency shutdown of all such artificially intelligent robots.
In his book Physics of the Future, Michio Kaku mentioned: “Type I civilizations harvest planetary power utilizing all the sunlight that strikes their planet. They can, perhaps, harness the power of volcanoes, manipulate the weather, control earthquakes, and build cities on the ocean. All planetary power is within their control.”
A Type 1 Civilization would be capable of controlling Earth entirely. Able to control the weather, control volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes, influence global flora and fauna, geological makeup, plate tectonics, etc.
Spacecraft reach the speed of light, allowing the human-crewed mission to a nearby solar system.
This is where humanity is heading, whether we want it or not.
Type II
An Interstellar Civilization has control over its solar system and can harness the power equivalent of a single star. It extracts fusion energy, information, and raw materials from multiple solar systems; it is capable of evolutionary intervention, interstellar travel, interstellar communication, stellar engineering, terraforming, and star cluster-scale influence; the resulting proliferation and diversification may negate the probability of extinction. Complete control of the fate of its home planet where threats like ice ages and global warming are avoided.
This civilization would have access to the order of 1026 watts at any point in time. Colonized another star system, heralding the Interstellar Age.
A Type II Civilization would have warp-drive and faster than light travel. Crewed starships are preferred over sub-light spacecraft to explore the stars and have virtual reality augmented to a level that can simulate reality. Holograms look real, and holosuites are addictive and escapist. Post-scarcity economics is achieved where money is not needed due to free energy (fusion and renewable) and replicators making almost anything needed, making world economies obsolete. Multiple star systems colonized; however, it may encounter an alien civilization that will be far more powerful and will humanity as a threat.
Type III
A Galactic Civilization that extracts fusion and exotic energy, information, and raw materials from their galaxy. It is capable of intergalactic travel, intergalactic communication, galactic engineering, and galaxy-scale influence.
This civilization would have access to the energy of the order of 1037 watts at any point in time.
A Type III Civilization would span the entire galaxy, colonizing and controlling numerous systems. It would be able to harness, store and use the energy output of all stars within that galaxy. Such a civilization would use planets like building blocks, move planets from one solar system to another, merge solar systems, merge stars, absorb supernovae, and even create stars.
Type IV
A Universal Civilization can harness the power of its own supercluster of galaxies and eventually its universe of origin and become effectively immortal. A civilization this advanced could tap into the mysterious dark matter and manipulate the basic fabric of spacetime. Their capabilities may include instantaneous matter-energy transformation, teleportation, and time travel.
This civilization would have access to the energy of the order of 1046 W to 1056 W at any point in time.
This civilization would be supergalactic, travel throughout the entire universe, and consume the energy output of several—possibly all—galaxies. Think of that real estate size!
It would also be capable of projects of gargantuan proportions, such as manipulating space-time and tinkering with entropy, thus reaching immortality on a grand scale—an essentially indestructible and highly utopian civilization.
Type V
A Multiversal Civilization can escape its universe of origin, explore the multiverse, and have time travel to the future.
A Type V Civilization possesses the abilities of instantaneous matter-energy transformation, teleportation of anything and anyone anywhere within the universe, and time travel. They would have mastered technology to a point where they could simulate or build a custom universe. They will have mastered the new laws of physics and have almost complete control over the fabric of reality.
This civilization would have access to the energy of the order of 1056 W to 1066 W at any point in time.
Type VI
Type VI Paraversal Civilization exists in the megaverse and can create and maintain the fundamental laws of universes. They exist in an infinite amount of simultaneously existing multiverses that represent many instances and all laws of physics. They can also be regarded as paraversal as they exist in infinite parallels to the 11 dimensions of the spacetime continuum, with infinite instances of pasts and futures.
Energy usage: 1066 W onwards. Beyond universal or Planck-level energy and Type-Omega-minus manipulation of reality.
Type VII
A Type VII Ominversal Civilization would travel, transcend and ultimately oversee or ”be” the Omniverse which is the collection of every single universe, multiverse, megaverse, paraverse, 11d dimension, and 1st realm (reality). Everything is in the Omniverse, and there is only one Omniverse.
Energy usage: Infinite
Such power would likely come from an individual being rather than a civilization, as the civilization would have transcended and merged into a single mind that would encompass all thoughts and all timelines, thus being omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. This is the Creator: a god above all gods, responsible for existence, past, and future.
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