Some people predict what types of civilizations we, and any other group of people, might become in the future. These predictions are based on the civilization's energy needs. They have classified these civilizations into three groups.

Type one civilizations are able to control resources of their entire planet. They are also able to control the weather and prevent earthquakes from happening. They have mined deep into the earth¹s crust. This type of civilization also harvests food from the ocean and has completely explored their solar system. Type two civilizations control the sun's energy by mining it. They are also starting to colonize the local star systems. The most advanced civilization however is a type three which is able to control the power of the entire galaxy. For their power source, they harness the energy from billions of star systems. This civilization has mastered Einstein's equation and can manipulate space-time at their will.

Our civilization on earth, however, is a type zero. We are just beginning to tap the planet's resources and we are still dependent on oil, coal, and human labor for energy.

The predictors also estimate about how long it will take before we become one of these more advanced civilizations. They say we might become a type one civilization in a few hundred years. This is because our largest energy source is a hydrogen bomb. A hurricane, however, has the power of hundreds of hydrogen bombs. Because of this, they think it will take at least a hundred years for us to begin to control weather. Additionally, the type one civilization has already colonized most of the solar system. Unfortunately, we haven't even begun in this area. There are, however, plans in 2020 for a manned landing on Mars by NASA, and they speculate that by 2060 we may have colonized Mars followed by most of the solar system in another hundred years.

It will take, obviously, longer to develop into a type two civilization. Predictors believe the change should take place in about 1,000 years. By then our energy needs will be so great, we will need to mine the sun. Turning into a type three civilization could possibly take many thousands of years, giving earth power from black holes and supernovae. We may also have mastered the ten dimensions.