The Kardashev Scale and Elon Musk’s Obsession with interstellar travel

Tech mogul Elon Musk has recently brought attention to the Kardashev scale, a theoretical framework for measuring a civilisation’s technological advancement based on its energy consumption and utilisation capabilities.
The Kardashev Scale gives us a way to imagine advanced civilisations and our potential future as a species in terms of energy use and control over our environment.
As Musk explains, “You’re Kardashev level 1 if you harness the power of a planet, 2 if you harness the power of a solar system, or 3 if you harness the power of a galaxy.”
The Kardashev scale, proposed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964, categorises civilisations into three main types.
Type I Civilisation – Planetary Civilisation
A Type I civilisation, also called a planetary civilisation, can use and store all of the energy available on its home planet.
This includes harnessing resources like wind, water, and solar energy to its fullest extent. Earth is estimated to be at about 0.73 on this scale, meaning humanity hasn’t yet reached Type I status.
Achieving Type I would mean solving significant challenges in sustainable energy and resource utilisation.

Achieving Type I would mean solving significant challenges in sustainable energy and resource utilisation. (Photo: Getty)

Type II civilisation – Stellar civilisation
A Type II civilisation, or stellar civilisation, can harness and control the total energy output of its star.
One theoretical way to do this is by constructing a “Dyson Sphere,” a hypothetical structure that would surround a star to capture and utilize most or all of its energy. This would give a civilisation virtually unlimited power for technologies, space exploration, and sustenance.
Type III civilisation – Galactic civilisation
A Type III civilisation can control energy on the scale of its entire galaxy. This would involve advanced mastery of physics, allowing the civilisation to access energy from billions of stars across the galaxy.
A Type III civilisation would be highly advanced in terms of space colonization, interstellar travel, and technological capability. It is the most advanced on the original scale.
Currently, humanity falls below Type I on the scale. Carl Sagan proposed a more nuanced version, placing Earth at approximately 0.7 on the scale. Some experts estimate we could reach Type I status within the next 100-200 years.

Elon Musk emphasises the scale’s implications for energy production, stating, “The biggest source of energy is The Sun… When you think in terms of the Kardashev scale, it becomes obvious that the Sun is the most overwhelming source of energy, and everything else is tiny potatoes.”
The Kardashev scale has inspired both scientific research and science fiction, prompting discussions about future energy technologies and the potential existence of advanced extraterrestrial civilisations.
It has also influenced SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) efforts, guiding researchers in their search for technosignatures of advanced civilisations.
While the scale has faced criticism for being overly simplistic, it continues to serve as a thought-provoking framework for considering humanity’s technological progress and energy future.