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The Kardashev scale (Russian: шкала Кардашёва, romanized: shkala Kardashova) is a method of measuring a civilization's level of technological advancement based on the amount of energy it is capable of harnessing and using.

The measure was proposed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964, forming the basis for a series of papers proposing ways to detect super civilizations and direct the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Kardashev's initial model was developed starting from a functional definition of civilization, based on the immutability of physical laws, and using human civilization as a model for extrapolation. He proposed a classification of civilizations into three types, based on the axiom of exponential growth: A Type I civilization (planetary) is able to access all the energy available on its planet and store it for consumption. A Type II civilization (stellar) can directly consume a star's energy, such as through the use of a Dyson sphere. A Type III civilization (galactic) is able to capture all the energy emitted by its galaxy, and every object within it, such as every star, black hole, etc. Under this scale, the sum of human civilization does not yet reach Type I status, though it approaches it. Extensions of the scale have since been proposed, including a wider range of power levels (Types 0, IV, and V) and the use of metrics other than pure power, e.g., computational growth or food consumption.

Kardashev first outlined his scale in a paper presented at the 1964 conference that communicated findings on BS-29-76, the Byurakan Conference in the Armenian SSR, which reviewed the Soviet radio astronomy space listening program. Assuming the development of radio, Kardashev predicted that in the following two decades (i.e. in the 1980s) it would be possible to build antennas of 100,000 m2 capable of detecting Type II and III civilizations. Kardashev concluded his paper by noting that the possible discovery of even the simplest organisms on Mars would increase the likelihood that Type II civilizations exist in the galaxy.

Kardashev believed it is probable that the present state of Earth's civilization is only one of the stages through which civilizations pass during their evolution. Kardashev asserted that "this last point should be taken into account in the research programs of extraterrestrial civilizations" and concluded that it is very likely that our present state is only one of the stages through which every civilization passes during its evolution.

Based on this principle, Kardashev sees only two possible evolutionary scenarios for a supercivilization: natural evolution and evolution after contact with other extraterrestrial civilizations.

The hypothetical classification, known as the Kardashev scale, distinguishes three stages in the evolution of civilizations according to the dual criteria of access and energy consumption. Kardashev believed that it would take humanity 3,200 years to reach Type II, and 5,800 years to reach Type III.

A civilization with energy on the scale of its own galaxy, with an energy consumption of ≈4×1044 erg/sec.

where K is the Kardashev type of a civilization and W is the amount of power it uses, in watts.

Kaku uses the Kardashev scale, but develops it by adding an additional stage: a Type IV civilization would be able to draw the energy it needs from extragalactic radiation.

The Kardashev scale can be a relevant tool for preventing catastrophes, whether human or natural, according to Richard Wilson, who relates this scale to the power of destruction, in TNT.

Zoltan Galántai notes that neither Kardashev nor Sagan thought to extend the scale and define a Type IV (which would use the energy of an entire universe).

However, this may only be possible for a Type III civilization.

Kardashev Scale Explorer, Explore how civilizations are classified by their energy consumption and technological advancement, and visual simulator of the Kardashev Scale by Davide Volpato.

Quick Facts

• Kardashev Scale Explorer, Explore how civilizations are classified by their energy consumption and technological advancement, and visual simulator of the Kardashev Scale by Davide Volpato.
• A Type III civilization (galactic) is able to capture all the energy emitted by its galaxy, and every object within it, such as every star, black hole, etc.
• A Type I civilization (planetary) is able to access all the energy available on its planet and store it for consumption.
• A Type II civilization (stellar) can directly consume a star's energy, such as through the use of a Dyson sphere.
• Extensions of the scale have since been proposed, including a wider range of power levels (Types 0, IV, and V) and the use of metrics other than pure power, e.g., computational growth or food consumption.

Source material: Wikipedia - "Kardashev scale". Adapted and summarized for DiscoverScroll. Original contributors are credited through the linked Wikipedia article. Read original on Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes were made from the original.