Big Think The four types of planetary civilizations, explained by Michio Kaku
7 snips
Aug 28, 2025 
Renowned physicist Michio Kaku shares insights on extraterrestrial civilizations and humanity's place in the universe. He classifies us as a Type 0 civilization and describes what Types 1, 2, and 3 could look like, highlighting our potential evolution. Kaku discusses the challenges of detecting advanced civilizations and suggests that quantum computers might help us identify their signals, much like understanding dolphin communication. He also touches on the complexities of unidentified aerial phenomena and the rigorous analysis required to determine their origins.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Energy-Based Civilization Scale
- Civilizations can be classified by energy use: planetary, stellar, and galactic scales.
- Humanity is Type 0, still reliant on fossil fuels and not yet planetary-level in energy control.
What Types I, II, And III Look Like
- A Type I civilization controls planetary systems like weather and global energetics.
- Type II harnesses a star and Type III operates across the galaxy using black holes and galactic engineering.
Planck Energy And Long-Term Reach
- Reaching Planck-scale energies enables black hole and inter-universe capabilities.
- Kaku estimates roughly 100,000 years beyond us to attain such Type III energies.