Why Glitches Are Actually Called Bugs

The term software bug originated from a literal moth trapped inside an early computer in 1947. This physical insect caused a malfunction in the machine, cementing the term in history.

Long before we had digital code, engineers used the word bug to describe mechanical defects. When Grace Hopper's team found an actual moth caught in a relay of the Harvard Mark II computer, they taped it into their logbook. They jokingly noted it as the first actual case of a bug being found. While the term existed previously, this event popularized its use for technical glitches.