Definition
Kardashev Scale
The Kardashev scale classifies a civilisation by the amount of power it can harness: if is its usable power in watts, its interpolated type is
- A Type I civilisation harnesses planetary-scale power, approximately ,
- type II harnesses the output of its star, approximately ,
- and Type III harnesses power on a galactic scale, approximately .
The scale measures energy use rather than intelligence, social development, or moral progress.
The original proposal by Nikolai Kardashev described three discrete types. The logarithmic interpolation is commonly attributed to later work by Carl Sagan, and allows civilisations between the original types to be described, such as a civilisation of Type .