Have you ever wondered how the Internet connects countries across vast oceans? The answer lies in thousands of undersea cables stretching deep beneath the ocean’s surface. These cables are the backbone of global communication, yet few people think about how they work—or the risks they face.
Like the arms of a mighty octopus, undersea cables wrap around the Earth, linking continents and powering nearly all transoceanic digital communication, including phone calls, emails, and streaming. The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid in 1866, according to WIRED magazine, paving the way for modern wired communication. Over time, the technology evolved from coaxial cables in the 1950s, which supported telephone calls, to today’s fiber-optic cables, capable of transferring massive amounts of data at incredible speeds.
If you’ve ever been curious about how these cables are installed or where they’re located, check out this video and map for a closer look.
