You do a web search and click on a link that looks interesting. The information on the web page comes from another computer far away. That computer sends it to yours along a hopping path. Most of its journey is through cables—some under the sea.
How does the internet get under the sea?
1 Make a Glass Cable
Cables that carry the internet on land and under the sea are made of super-clear glass, spun into strands thinner than a hair. Several hundred strands are bundled together. Then they’re covered with layers of metal and plastic to make a cable that’s tough, flexible, and waterproof.
Computer signals travel along the glass threads as pulses of light. Computers read these signals and translate them into web pages, or movies, or the sound of a voice. Light beams are so thin that a single hair-sized fiber can carry over 25,000 phone calls at the same time.
How fast do these signals go? Take a breath. In one second, a light signal could travel five times around the earth. That’s two-thirds the speed of light (186,000 miles a second).
2 Map the Sea Floor
Esta historia es de la edición October 2019 de Ask Magazine for Kids.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 2019 de Ask Magazine for Kids.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
When a Whale Falls
When an enormous whale dies, its body sinks to the bottom of the ocean. There it provides food for thousands of deep-sea creatures.
The Deepest Dive
In 1872, two scientists set out to study the ocean.
Marie Maps The Sea
Young Marie Tharp thought her dad had the best job ever. He traveled around the country, making maps. His maps were special—they revealed hidden things. They showed where different kinds of soil were, and wet and dry places. That helped farmers know what to plant.
Internet Ocean
Say you’re curious about giraffes.
Bigger Than The Rules
How one tall kid changed the way we play basketball.
Eat This Spoon
Imagine you’re at a picnic, enjoying some spicy noodles and fruit salad. For dessert, you have a slice of cake. Then you top off your meal by eating your fork.
In the Hot Shop
The hot shop at Chicago’s Ignite Glass Studio sizzles with activity.
The Glass Ocean
Peering out from its case in the museum, the little brown octopus looks ready to uncurl its tentacles and glide away. But this octopus isn’t going anywhere. It’s made of glass.
Living Glass
What would you do if your skeleton were made of glass? Maybe you’d be a sponge.
The Greedy Glass
How many pennies can you add to a completely full glass of water?
