Every day, as you click and tap on your devices, you most likely rely on the Internet to answer questions, stay updated on current events, and connect with people worldwide. But have you ever wondered who invented the Internet and when it all began?
Here’s everything you need to know about the birth of the Internet.
The Internet’s Inception: 1960s and 1970s
The journey to creating the Internet started long before the necessary technology existed. The collaborative efforts of numerous scientists and engineers paved the way.
The late 1960s saw the emergence of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. ARPANET represented the “first workable prototype of the Internet,” which enabled multiple computers to communicate on a single network.
On October 29, 1969, a historic moment occurred when the University of California Los Angeles sent the first message to Stanford via ARPANET. These early computers were the size of small houses, and a simple message, “LOGIN,” managed to crash the network, receiving only the first two letters at Stanford.
The Collaborative Creation of the Internet
The development of the Internet cannot be attributed to a lone innovator; rather, it represents a collaborative endeavor involving countless engineers, programmers, and scientists.
The roots of the modern Internet can be traced back to ARPANET’s communication model, a brainchild of visionaries such as Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf. However, it is crucial to distinguish the Internet from the World Wide Web.
The World Wide Web, which brought the Internet to the masses, emerged as a separate milestone in the digital landscape. Its introduction revolutionized how we access and share information online, thanks to the ingenious work of Tim Berners-Lee.
Introduction of the World Wide Web
In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web, often abbreviated as WWW. This innovation is what most people now recognize as the Internet, which allows users to connect to various web pages through hypertexts.
The World Wide Web is distinct from the broader concept of the Internet. It serves as a common means to access information online through websites, significantly contributing to the Internet’s popularity.
Birth of Google: 1998 and Beyond
Shifting gears from the Internet’s inception, let’s explore another Internet giant: Google.
Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the idea for this search engine was conceived in 1995 within a Stanford University dorm room. Originally named “Backrub,” Page and Brin aimed to create a search engine capable of using “links to determine the importance of individual pages on the World Wide Web.” This concept would revolutionize online search.
Later, the name was changed to “Google,” a play on the mathematical expression representing the number one followed by 100 zeros, reflecting their mission of making information universally accessible.
Google’s innovative approach quickly garnered attention from investors in Silicon Valley, leading to the establishment of Google Inc. in 1998. Their journey began in a garage, a humble origin story that has become legendary in tech.