When the Russian astrophysicist Nikolai S. Kardashev gave us a hypothetical scale to better understand where we fit in; we weren’t really fitting in. The Kardashev scale gives us an idea of the type of civilizations that might be out there in the universe, way…way more advanced than us. So comparing it to these alien civilizations and their technological competence, we have the scale that measures as to where do we stand as compared to them.
Aliens, in fiction, have always been projected as some technology gods that can probably end our entire existence with unleashing not even a fraction of their potential; but are it really true? Yes, says Kardashev scale.
Kardashev and the Type of Civilizations
Type 1 – This is the “planet civilization,” which has the capability to channel the energy of its planet. Be it solar, thermal, the lightning that strikes, they are able to harness it all. According to Kardashev, this is “somewhat” like current humans but we are still finding our ways to tame power conversions.
Type 2 – You have successfully made it to type II if you are a civilization that can control the energy of your neighboring star, sun maybe. So if the alien civilization is able to do this, they have a reserve of unlimited energy potential. Quite interestingly, Human beings have already found out a way to the star powers through Dyson Sphere, but are in no shape to actually implement it. We are pseudotype II should we say? At least give us that?
Type 3 –Now type 3 civilizations are basically gods if you want to juxtapose. If humans ever tell them “we want to be just like you,” they’ll probably reply “yeah maybe in another 100,000 years.” Type III can possess the energy of an ENTIRE GALAXY. Entre milky way or Andromeda! Not only that, with great type III comes great power as they would also be able to draw tremendous energy from black holes and maybe even create their own stars!!
Well, if this makes you heads turn, there is type 4- to type 7 still waiting to show you their potential of harnessing energy from not just universes, but multiverses, and who knows if they’re making their own galaxies too? Maybe they made us as an experiment? Maybe they are the gods that we worship? Who knows!
Humans to Join the Ranks of Type 1-7 Anytime Soon? We are on the scale, to begin with, but don’t quite rank that highly. We can mould energy and conserve and use it, but not entirely, so we are somewhere at 0.5-0.7 on the scale right now. But will we ever make it to type 2,3….7? Not a chance. Human race would have ended by then; chances are your great-grandkids might be there, as cybernetic beings with their life experience data derived in a micro-chip for robots to infer from.
Given what we know about the Milky Way so far, 1000 to 100,000,000 active civilizations might be already there, some might’ve shifted their base to far fringes of the universe already.
But what will actually happen when we come in contact with any one of them from the Kardashev scale?
