The Hidden Infrastructure Connecting Our World
Submarine communications cables are fiber optic cables laid on the ocean floor that connect continents and enable international telecommunications. Despite the rise of satellites, these cables carry over 99% of intercontinental data traffic.
Modern cables are about the diameter of a garden hose and contain multiple pairs of fiber optic strands, each capable of transmitting terabits of data per second using light pulses.
Special cable-laying ships deploy undersea cables. In deep water, cables are laid directly on the ocean floor. In shallow waters near shores, they are buried using high-pressure water jets or plows to protect them from anchors and fishing equipment.
Repeaters (signal amplifiers) are placed every 50-100km along the cable to boost the optical signal, as it weakens over distance.
Shark Attacks: Sharks have been known to bite undersea cables, possibly attracted by electromagnetic fields. Modern cables now include shark-resistant shielding!
Historical Roots: The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid in 1858, allowing messages between Europe and North America in minutes instead of weeks.
Speed of Light: Data travels through these cables at about 200,000 km/s - roughly 2/3 the speed of light in a vacuum.