Information Travels on Beams of Light

Modern global communication relies on hair-thin glass strands that transmit data using pulses of light rather than electricity. This technology allows massive amounts of information to travel across oceans at near light speed.

These glass fibers are so incredibly thin that they are roughly the diameter of a human hair. Because they move data as light, they are immune to the electromagnetic interference that disrupts traditional copper wires. This is why your internet connection is fast enough to stream high-definition video from across the globe. Thousands of miles of these delicate cables are protected by heavy shielding and laid along the deep ocean floor.