Becoming a Kardashev Type I Civilization

The Kardashev Scale has become a standardized way of classifying (hypothetical) advanced civilizations. The lowest rank, Type 1, is still way ahead of us - but by how much? When will we achieve Type 1 status and exactly how could we plausibly do so? In this video, we go through some estimates of when humanity might become Type 1, and in particular what kind of energy sources we could harness to achieve this feat.

► Wind energy calculation based off Smil (2004), "Inherent limits of renewable energies"
► References for the 3.7TW figure for tidal energy dissipation are: Cartwright 1993 (Theory of ocean tides with application to altimetry, in Satellite Altimetry in Geodesy and Oceanography, edites by R. Rummel and F. Sanso, pp. 99-141, Springer-Verlag, New York), Ray 1994 (Tidal energy dissipation: Observations from astronomy, geodesy, and oceanography, in, The Oceans, edited by S. Majumdaret al., pp. 171-185, Pa. Acad. of Sci., Easton, Pa.), Kagan & Sundermann 1996 (Kagan Dissipation of tidal energy paleotides, and evolution of the Earth-Moon system, Adv. Geophys., 38, pp. 179-266)

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THANKS FOR WATCHING!!

[CoolWorldsLab]

Rest In Peace to Nikolai Kardashev who sadly passed away to become a Type IV civilization in the beyond on August 3rd 2019. What a wonderful mind, he will be missed.

[b.aleman]

I was watching this and it cut to an ad. The exact words I heard were "That leaves us with 2 options. Solar energy and - Explosive diarrhea? Upset stomach? Painful indigestion?".... I laughed for like 4 minutes straight.

[bumbixp]

Left the oven on all day. Doing my part!

[johnedwincamposano]

2020: "In hundred years we'll become a Kardashev Type I Civilization."

2120: *Despacito 420*

[TeslaKuhn]

Something I just now thought of, halfway through this presentation, is that we are also using less energy to do the same things as before. In other words, efficiency. That might throw the numbers off even more.

[tejashmusaddi]

See you all in 2120 when we are a type 1 civilisation and YouTube algorithm re-unites us all

[xZackx]

I thought I was subscribed to enough science related channels. I was wrong.

[ccboi]

One thing to keep in mind that it is not just about the energy consumption, it's also about controlling the energy and use it in effective and constructive ways.

[torytrae]

We should probably focus more on not becoming type "extinct" civilization

[Jabroney]

So what you’re telling me is that solar energy is just long-distance nuclear energy? 🤔

[addictedallyear]

seeing stuff like this makes me depressed knowing I won't live long enough to see this happen, almost like how people in the 1800s can't see how much we've evolved from back then

[Slider]

I always assumed a type 1 lived on multiple planets, type 2 lived on multiple solar systems and type 3 lived on multiple galaxies.

I don't see how you can control and consume so much energy on a single planet.

[chrisf]

If we can just figure out a way to harness Twitter-fuelled outrage and turn it into energy, we'll easily hit that target.

[sfhadjhcacnfzzcbsa]

*scientists can now turn anger into electricity*
Type 4 civilization established overnight. Universe conquered successfully.

[That-Truck-Guy]

"becoming a Kardashian type | civilization"
Doomed!

[redacted]

With fusion reactions finally having been used to create more energy than what is used in order to create the fusion reaction, it might actually be possible to become a kardashev type I civilization.

[TheOnlyRhino]

i'm already type 1 diabetic so i'm type 1 sooner then the rest of you.

[NecrMancer]

Meanwhile Aliens seeing this video when they hacked Youtube: "These Earthlings can barely maintain a nuclear reactor and they are talking about type 3 civilization." Laughs hysterically in Alien language.

[davidturpin]

When Kardashev came up with the scale I believe it was his intent to account for efficiency and different stars. it was just an order of magnitude he was going for. A K1 civilization has reached the limit of what they can get without leaving their planet. A K2 civilization has reached the limit they can get without leaving their star. A K3 civilization has reached the limit without leaving their galaxy.

Firstly, does it matter much if your solar panels are 50% efficient or 100% efficient? By Sagan's formula if we gathered only half the energy striking our planet we would be K0.97. That's a K1 as far as I'm concerned.

Secondly, not all planets, stars and galaxies are equal. A civilization on Europa could reach K1 from tidal heating alone, because tidal heating is orders of magnitude greater than insolation on that moon. A K2 around Proxima Centauri would only be a K1.72 by Sagan's formula, because Proxima Centauri has only 0.17% the output of Sol. Using rough estimates of OUR planet, OUR Sun, and OUR galaxy to judge other civilizations that exist elsewhere is hubris.

[AlmostEthical]

Another quality video. Personally, I question Kardashev's assumptions, which I think are rather sci-fi. In time, energy use would ideally become more efficient and the measure of a civilisation's advancement would be ever less based on the energy they use and ever more on the amount of integrated information they process.

The animal kingdom provides an example. Empowerment based on size had its limits, with increased information processing turning out to be more potent.