As early as 1964, Earth proposed a theory similar to the hierarchy of civilizations:

In 1964, the Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev proposed the theory that the technological progress of human civilization was closely related to the total amount of energy that its citizens could control. According to this line of thought, he identified three types of Chinese development in the galaxy from low to high:

Type I: This civilization is the master of planetary energy, which means that they can dominate the sum of the energy of the entire world.

Type II : This civilization is capable of harvesting energy for entire star systems.

Type III: This civilization can harness the energy of the galactic system to its own use.

Cosmologists use the Kardashev index to predict future technological advances and extraterritorial civilizations. At present, modern humanity has not even stepped into any of these three forms of civilization. In this theoretical system, although we are basically at a zero level of civilization, we will eventually move to the first type of civilization. Kardashev predicts that this shift will take place – but when?

Theoretical physicist and futurist Michio Kalay predicts that this transformation will happen a century later. Physicist Freeman Dyson believes that humanity will enter the first form of civilization in the next 200 years. Earlier, Kardashev envisioned that humanity would enter the second type of civilization after 3,200 years.

If humanity had only progressed to the level of Type I in 7010 AD, we would have the ability to control and harness atmospheric and geothermal energy. While the possibility of war and self-destruction still threatens the survival of humanity, at least ecological and environmental issues will be a thing of the past then.

If we can successfully achieve Type II status in 7010, then humanity will be free to wield greater technological power in the 71st century. Dyson proposed that at this stage, we could use a huge constellation of moons to gather energy around the star. Other great ideas for Type II civilizations include interstellar travel and moving entire planetary communities – all thanks to breakthroughs in genetics and computing.

In the future, it is possible that humans will be very different from us today in terms of culture, and even in neurological function. They are likely to be the "posthuman" or "transhuman" predicted by futurists and philosophers.

In any case, a lot will happen in the next 5,000 years. We could go to war and go to self-destruction, or unconsciously use nanotechnology to destroy our planet. Perhaps we will perish because of asteroids and comets colliding with the Earth before these threats are removed. We may not even be able to reach Type II before we are invaded by foreign civilizations that are beyond our level of civilization.

Classification of cosmic civilization levels

Type I civilization - planetary system civilization

Type II Civilization - Stellar System Civilization

Type III Civilization - Galactic Civilization

[Type I]

(Planetary system civilization, capable of producing about 10^16 watts per second or 1 0^17 watts of energy that can be used for civilization activities, is comparable to the solar energy received by the Earth per second)

The earth can provide 1.74×10^17 watts of electricity. The original definition was 4×10^12W. a level relatively close to the current level of civilization on Earth" (currently referring to 1964).

Civilization range: the depths of the earth, the depths of the oceans, the orbit of space, and nearby planets.

[Type II] Civilization

(Stellar system civilizations, the combined activity of civilizations consumes about 4×10^26 watts (joules/s) of energy per second; Since the energy of the stars varies, this number is variable)

Our sun is capable of producing about 3.86×10^26 watts of energy per second, which was originally defined as 4×10^26 watts.

Civilization Range: The solar system, and nearby star systems.

[Type III Civilization]

(Galactic civilizations, the combined activity of civilizations consumes about 4×10^37 watts (joules per second) of energy per second, this number is very variable)

Because there are great differences between different galaxies; The output power is approximate. The original definition was 4×10^37 watts.

Civilization Range: Galaxy Clusters.

Level 1 Civilizations: Civilizations of this level have complete control over all available resources and everything on their planet. It is the absolute ruler of the planet, and can control the change, rise and fall of the weather, rivers, land, other organisms, oceans and even the matter in the earth's crust at will. It can be said that on their planet they can do anything.

Level 2 Civilizations: Can take full advantage of the energy of their stars and fully control their solar system. You can live and travel freely on the planets in the solar system, and you don't have to worry about energy problemsBecause you know how to efficiently use the endless energy emitted from the stars, the society has become highly developed and the development tends to be highly accelerated.

It should be mentioned that if a civilization reaches the second type, then it is almost indestructible. At least all the natural and man-made means known to mankind cannot touch a single hair of them. Even a supernova explosion near them would not allow them to perish. They can move their galaxy away from the erupting star, or simply harness the energy of the eruption. In a highly developed society, they themselves will not make a self-destructive move.

Level 3 civilizations: are no longer limited to their solar system, but the entire galaxy in which they are located, such as our Milky Way. Harnesses the energy of all stars in the galaxy. This kind of civilization is beyond our imagination, and we can only guess how they lived. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, exceeding the speed of light is theoretically untenable. A galaxy is very large, and it takes millions of years to fly from one end to the other, even if it is close to the speed of light, so the third type of civilization is not like in science fiction movies, driving huge spaceships and shuttling through the stars.

Level 4 Civilizations: It is speculated that they ingest dark matter and dark energy from the universe (both of which account for about 95% of the mass in the visible universe) as their energy source. As for the other aspects of such a civilization, it is impossible to conceive.

Ways of destruction of civilizations of all levels:

Type 0 → natural disasters, diseases, wars, resource shortages.

Type 0+→ extreme weather disasters, nuclear war, super geological activity, super volcano and earthquake, meteorite collision.

Type 1→ asteroid or comet collision, artificial intelligence crisis, upheaval of solar activity.

Type 1+ → artificial intelligence rebels, the sun ages and expands and explodes, and a supernova eruption is near.

Type 2 → interstellar warfare. Ultra-energetic star erupts.

Type 2+ → galaxies collide.

Type 3 → Big Bang.

Type 3+ → dissipation of consciousness.

(It is worth mentioning that the output power of each level of civilization is far more than limited to the electricity generated, but how much energy is used to maintain the activities of the civilization, for example, the type 1 civilization uses intelligent artificial clouds to reflect, cover or intersect the sunlight to control the earth's climate and weather, then the power of sunlight: 1000 watts and 1 square meter is one of the output power of civilization.) ）

With each level, the civilization's "total energy" increases by a factor of 10^10; The "mass" or "volume" of man-made objects in the universe of each level of civilization increases by 10^10 times, and the "size" of man-made objects increases by 2150 times.

Civilization 1's cosmic artifacts are tens of millions of square kilometers of space solar arrays, space cities/ports, interplanetary spacecraft, etc.

The cosmic artifacts of Civilization 2 are stellar collecting circles, artificial planets/rings, starships, etc.

The cosmic artifacts of Civilization 3 are galactic nucleus collecting circles, artificial celestial bodies, and even wormholes, intergalactic spaceships, etc.