Technological Era

The Technological Era is a complete cycle of a sophont civilization.

• It is symbolically represented by thirty Technology Levels or 30-TLs.
• It is represented by three tech periods and a transitional tech epoch.
• After the era ends, researchers speculate that only the quest for the Singularity remains.
• Final States after this stage become increasingly existential and unknowable. Many abandon corporeal existence altogether. Such beings are only known by their ruins and artifacts.

Library Data Referral Tree

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:

• Technology
  • Technological Research
    • Ancients Foundation
    • Biotechnology
    • Imperial Research Station
    • Technology Incubator
  • Technological Systemics
    • Accelerating Tech Level
    • QREBS
    • Tech Age
    • Tech Eon
    • Tech Epoch
    • Tech Era
    • Tech Level Comparison Chart
    • Tech Period
    • Technology Level
    • Three Prime Technologies
    • Universal Technological Profile

Description (Specifications)

Transcendent civilizations are projected to appear near the end of the Tech Era and are known by strangeness, ruins, and artifacts.

IISS Chronological Periodization

• Technological Age (1 TL) → Technological Epoch (3 TLs) → Technological Period (9 TLs) → Technological Era (30 TLs) → Technological Eon (31-33+ TLs) → Singularity (Post-Technological Period)

History & Background (Dossier)

Most such societies are known by what appears to striving to prepare for the Singularity.

Standard Polity Growth Sequence

MACRO LEVEL:

• Proto-Society → Society → Civilization → Singularity (Post-civilizational)

MICRO LEVEL:

• Proto-Society → Band Society → Tribal Society or Chiefdom → City-State → Nation-State → World-State → Pocket Empire → Interstellar State → Intergalactic State → Final State → Singularity

Civilization Stages

1. Pre-existence
2. Creature Existence
3. Proto-civilization
4. Sophontic Civilization
5. Ascendant Civilization
6. Transcendent Civilization
7. Singularity

Civilization Stages
#	Stage	TL	Society	Remarks
1.	Pre-existence	TL-Negative	A-life	Not much is known about the origin of life, which is conjectured to be abiogenesis, or life arising from where there was none. In this environment, no conventional life is theorized to have existed, but A-life, or pseudo life, is thought to have pre-existed conventional life.
2.	Creature Existence	TL-Negative	Primordial Soup	The first life is thought to have been exceedingly simple, probably acellular, pre-DNA, and almost unnoticeable. But it was conventional life, and later life built upon it. More sophisticated life evolved from these humble origins into sophisticated multicellular creatures. However, these creatures lack higher intelligence, civilization, and technology.
3.	Proto-civilization	TL-0	Proto-Society	The very first creatures to evolve multiple hallmarks of sophonce become known as Proto-sophonts, and they develop Proto-civilizations, recognizable by later sophonts as early societies with basic but fundamental technology. Proto-sophonts are classified as: TL–0.
4.	Sophontic Civilization	TL:1-27	Band Society → Tribal Society or Chiefdom → City-State → Nation-State → World-State → Pocket Empire → Interstellar State → Intergalactic State	Sophonts are sophisticated, highly intelligent technology-using species. They develop advanced technologies, cultures, societies, and civilizations. They actively seek to master themselves and their environment. They use a variety of technologies: (TL-1 to 27).
5.	Transcendent Civilization	TL:28-30	Final State	Transcendents have begun the transition to the Singularity. They control advanced technologies (TL-28 to 30) and have cultures and societies paradigmatically different from less advanced sophonts. Many such societies begin to explore alternate dimensions and pocket universes.
6.	Ascendant Civilization	TL:31-33	Final State	Ascendants are working towards an active transition to the Singularity. They control the most sophisticated technologies imagined by sophontdom (TL-31 to 33). In nearly every practical way but not in every effect, they have achieved omnipotence. The key technologies defining transcendents are temporal technology, reality manipulation, chronotaxis (time travel), and manipulation of time itself. Their powers are near limitless. Some lesser sophont species call them "space gods." They have goals and motivations near incomprehensible to less advanced beings.
7.	Singularity	TL:34+ Post-Technological Period (PTP)	Singularity	The Singularity is a very nebulous term for both black holes and a hypothetical condition of life beyond technology, civilization, and life itself as confusing as that may sound. Some call it the afterlife while others call it the Post-Technological Period. Some even think that it is a future stage of life when sophont and machine merge. There is scant evidence for it, but many thinkers hypothesize that it exists.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science