"Let's operate under the temporary assumption that basic life is common in the universe."
Since no one could present a solid counterargument, the gathered scientists agreed to accept this premise for the time being.
"However, we cannot jump to the conclusion that intelligence is equally common. We simply lack the data," Professor Hazel stated, steering the conversation. "But we can make educated guesses based on the data we do have. The key to this puzzle lies in the Great Filter theory."
As Hazel spoke, the underlying logic of the symposium began to take shape.
According to the scale proposed by the Old World astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev, civilizations can be categorized into three tiers: Type I, Type II, and Type III. Each ascending tier represents a billionfold increase in harnessable energy.
