Imagine if we could control
earthquakes and tsunamis
to generate power.
Or maybe even terraform
every planet in the solar system.
These are just a couple of the things
that might happen if human civilization
was to advance in the future.
Global civilizations can be categorized
into what's known as the Kardeshev scale.
This measures a civilization's ability
to use all the energy available to it,
and is scaled from 1 to 3.
Currently, humanity doesn't even reach
Type 1 civilization.
This is because humans don't
use all the forms of energy on Earth.
We use wood,
coal, and oil
but there's a lot more.
So, what would change
if humanity evolved
into these types of civilizations?
Being a Type 1 civilization
means we would have complete control
over all the energy on Earth.
This means that
we'd say goodbye to fossil fuels since
they're limited and unsustainable.
Instead, we could use the wind, sunlight and water
for our energy needs.
And since this energy is so accessible,
you may no longer need to pay for your power bill.
In a Type 1 civilization,
we'd continuously be using energy.
It would be as essential as oxygen.
We would also start using natural disasters to our advantage.
Tsunamis could be used to produce energy
and earthquakes could potentially be used
to terraform parts of the world.
With us having complete control
over our planet's energy sources,
we could also control the weather.
If an area of the world were suffering through a drought
we could disperse rainclouds over it
and bring it back to life.
Humanity could also say goodbye to global warming,
as we'd be able to bring the atmosphere
back to carbon-neutral
and control our planet's temperatures.
Casualties from natural disasters would also be reduced,
as we'd be able to predict
when and where they might happen.
And not only that,
but we'd be able to live on places on Earth
we'd never have dreamed of before.
Like in the water,
as well as in climates
that used to be unsuitable for us humans.
Yeah, living in a Type 1 civilization would be
pretty great.
But with things being this perfect,
we might get a little bored.
So, what if we took humanity
one step further
and became a Type 2 civilization
or even a Type 3?
A Type 2 civilization means
we could harness the energy of the Sun
and use it, not just on Earth,
but throughout our Solar System.
We could use its power to travel to,
and terraform Mars.
Or even a planet like Neptune.
Becoming a Type 3 civilization
would allow us to use all the energy in the Galaxy.
And since the Kardeshev scale was invented in the 1960s,
scientists have come up with potential fourth
and fifth types of civilizations.
This is where things get a little tricky.
Scientists aren't ready to fully define these, as they're
past our current understanding of physics.
But it's safe to say that becoming
a type 4 or a type 5 civilization means
we could harness the energy of the entire Universe
and be able to travel it with ease.
And becoming a Type 5 civilization means
we'd all be practically gods.
We could control and manipulate the Universe
in whichever way we please.
There's no telling when we might evolve
to these levels of civilization,
but experts generally agree that
humanity might be able to reach Type 1
in the next 100 years or so.
But that's only assuming that
humanity lives long enough in the first place.
With global warming getting worse and worse,
and humanity not taking the correct measures to stop it fast enough,
there's no telling what might happen.
To become a Type 1 civilization,
maybe we need to go back in time.
But we'll leave that story for another WHAT IF.