A fascinating video shows just how close the Earth is to becoming a Kardashev Type 1 civilization.
The Kardashev scale is a way for us to measure a civilization’s level of technological advancement based on the amount of energy it’s capable of harnessing and using.
Its name is coined from the astronomer who invented it - Nikolai Kardashev.
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He described Type 1 as a ‘technological level close to the level presently attained on the Earth’, Type 2 as ‘a civilization capable of harnessing the energy radiated by its own star’ and Type 3 as ‘a civilization in possession of energy on the scale of its own galaxy’.
While it might be tricky to imagine the magnitude of how much energy a civilization would need to use in order to achieve Kardashev Type 1, one video illustrates how it happens.
In the clip uploaded to YouTube by PBS Space Time, it shows just how close Earth is to becoming Type 1.
The video explains: “Imagine a world where humanity masters every planetary resource available to it—our first step on the famous Kardashev scale of technological advancement.
“How distant is that step? Will we even become a true Type-1 civilization, and how can we get there?”
Earth is currently around 0.7 on the scale and there are a few different ways for it to move to 1.
The video details how harnessing solar power is the best avenue but the biggest problem we face is how to go about doing that.
Experts have estimated that we could reach Type 1 status within the next 100 to 200 years.
So while achieving Type 1 could mean optimistic things for our planet as it’ll mean that we’re able to collect and use all of the available energy we have, it could be a while before we achieve it.
Many viewers took to the YouTube comment section to share their own thoughts, with one user writing: “Given how wasteful we are with our limited resources, it is hard to see how we'll become a type 1 civilization anytime soon.
Another joked: “Honestly, building a moon base and super computer on the far side of the moon seems like a legitimately good idea.”
A third wrote: “NO....we will not achieve Kardashev level 1. It takes an intelligent civilization to achieve this level of expertise. I'm hoping we just don't destroy ourselves.”
And a fourth added: “Type-1? Half of us still think the Earth is flat.”