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This topic has moved here: Poll [15 votes]: What type of civilization are the 26th century humans?
  • Poll [15 votes]: What type of civilization are the 26th century humans?
Subject: What type of civilization are the 26th century humans?

Poll: What type of civilization are the 26th century humans?  [closed]
Type I:  27%
(4 Votes)
Type II:  60%
(9 Votes)
Type III:  13%
(2 Votes)
Total Votes: 15

Type I: a civilization with a power output of about 4×1012 W, i.e. a "technological level close to the level presently [1964] attained on earth". This type was apparently later redefined[by whom?][when?] to signify a civilization able to harness all of the power available on its planet, approximately 1016 to 1017 W. Earth specifically has an available power of 1.74×1017 W.

Type II: a civilization that is able to harness all of the power available from its home star, or a star in the same clustar, approximately 4×1026 W. The Sun outputs approximately 3.86×1026 W.

Type III: a civilization that is able to harness all of the power available from a whole galaxy, approximately 4×1037 W. The actual value of this figure is extremely variable, since galaxies vary widely in size; the stated figure is the approximate power output of the Milky Way.

  • 08.01.2011 10:36 PM PDT
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  • Honorable Member

Aren't we ourselves apporaching a Kardashev Type I civ? I would find it rather easy to believe that the UNSC is capable of harnessing the same amount of energy emitted by a star.

  • 08.01.2011 10:52 PM PDT

"Find where the liar hides, so that I may place my boot between his gums!" - Rtas 'Vadum

Barely a Type I, I would think. They use fusion reactors capable of producing "Gigawatts" as described by Cortana when she hooked up the Gettysburg to the Ascendant Justice. The UNSC had 2000 ships before the war.

So if each ship produces the same output at 1GW, then the low end is 2000 GW (2x10^12), with the high end being 1,998'000 GW (1.998x10^15) if each ship produces 999GW. Factor into it all the land based power generation for every colony and I think they could get there.

  • 08.02.2011 7:27 AM PDT


Posted by: anton1792
Barely a Type I, I would think. They use fusion reactors capable of producing "Gigawatts" as described by Cortana when she hooked up the Gettysburg to the Ascendant Justice. The UNSC had 2000 ships before the war.

So if each ship produces the same output at 1GW, then the low end is 2000 GW (2x10^12), with the high end being 1,998'000 GW (1.998x10^15) if each ship produces 999GW. Factor into it all the land based power generation for every colony and I think they could get there.


We ourselves in real life are almost a type 1 (I think they call us a Type .7 or .8) The UNSC surpasses us easily, if not quite reaches Type II yet.

  • 08.02.2011 7:48 AM PDT

"Find where the liar hides, so that I may place my boot between his gums!" - Rtas 'Vadum

Well blame Nylund then.

Edit: And the UNSC really are not that advanced when we take FTL out of the equation.

[Edited on 08.02.2011 8:06 AM PDT]

  • 08.02.2011 8:04 AM PDT