Scala Kardashev

Abstract

A scale is described for classifying civilizations according to the amount of power they produce, using
the whole numbers 0 through 4 to denote 106, 1016, 1026, 1036, and 1046 W corresponding to the
approximate power available at physical scales biological, planetary, stellar, Galactic, and observable
universe, extending a Roman numeral scheme introduced by Kardashev and updating it with
suggestions from Sagan and Lemarchand including using Arabic numbers to permit decimal
subdivisions. Terrestrial civilization circa 2015 would be classified as Type 0.72 on this extended and
updated scale. Similar scales can be used to classify information stored, population, and mass of
constructions. Unified Astronomy Thesaurus concepts: Astrobiology (74); Search for extraterrestrial
intelligence (2127)