Nikolai Semenovich Kardashev, a Soviet and Russian astrophysicist and Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, proposed a method of measuring a civilization's level of technological advancement in 1964. This method was based on the amount of energy that said civilization consumes. A civilization feels the need to upgrade its energy harvesting sources when its population and the energy demand of the civilization increases. There could be many other reasons other than the ones stated above as well.
Human Beings are nowhere on this scale yet. Not only this, but it could take us a very, very long time to even make a minor dent. It might be possible to match this scale if and when we possess the required resources. However, as of now and many coming years, we do not have any vision of achieving this target.
The Three Levels Of Civilization Differentiation:
Type 1-
A civilization can be placed in the 'Type 1' category when it possesses the capability to harness and consume all the energy available on its residential planet. The energy disposal level of a type 1 civilization can be estimated to be about 1e16 W. If this number is hard to evaluate, let me make it easier for you. The year round, the average power consumption by humans per day is 2.7W. Hence, the energy consumption of a type 1 civilization is roughly 1,000,000,000,000 times more than what we currently consume. Being able to harvest all of a planet's energy would also mean being able to control its natural forces. For instance, if humans became a type 1 civilization, we would be able to control the volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and even the weather!
Type 2-
A type 2 civilization has complete control over its neighboring star. This means harnessing all the available energy produced by the star as well as controlling it. Some hypothetical means to perform this mammoth task are the 'Dyson Sphere'. This sphere can cover the star (like a blanket). By doing so, the energy can be absorbed. However, there are many complications in achieving this architectural masterpiece. Aside from building this sphere, a means to transport and store the energy would be required. I will write a separate article regarding this 'Dyson Sphere'. Such a civilization could have an energy disposal level of 1e26 W.
Type 3-
The Galactic Leaders, the most superior beings imaginable, these can be placed in the 'Type 3' category. Such a civilization would be virtually inextinguishable due to its vast spread, advanced technology and knowledge. An entity belonging to such a civilization will be very different than the structural formation of a human being.They may have the ability to transform their form, both physically and chemically. A type 3 civilization could have an energy disposal of 1e36W. Of course, this is all just hypothetical. But if a human like us were to exist among such intelligent beings, we would be viewed as intelligent as we view a turkey today. These beings could be able to use their brain or whatever neurological device they possess, to its fullest extent. We cannot even imagine entities with such advanced capabilities.
Where do we lie in this?
If Kardashev ever hypothesized a 'Type-0' civilization, that's where we, humans, would lie. We are nowhere close to achieving the level 1 mark and we'll not be able to do this with the technology we currently possess. The problem is, the more energy a civilization consumes, the more energy it will disposes. And human beings, with historical evidence, have found the worst ways to dispose off our waste. So then when would humans achieve these milestones? Physicist and futurist Michio Kaku stated that we might attain the Type 1 status, if we increase our energy consumption by about 3% every year, in about 100-200 years. Type 2 in a few thousand years and type 3 in 100,000 to a million years. Of course, these theories cannot be proved with our current advancements (like many other astronomical theories). So these are all, as of now, just hypotheses.
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