How Much Does The Internet Weigh?

[Computer Hope Admin]

Why? I don't know, but interesting and could be used as useless geek trivia.

How heavy is information? Most of us know that computers represent all types of information—e-mails, documents, video clips, Web pages, everything—as streams of binary digits, 1s and 0s. These digits are mathematical entities, but they are also tangible ones: They are embodied and manipulated as voltages in electronic circuits. Therefore, every bit of data must have some mass, albeit minuscule. This prompted DISCOVER to ask the question: How much would all the data sent through the Internet on an average day weigh?

http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/how-much-does-the-internet-weigh

[Calum]

That's really not much.
Worth a read.

[street1 (RIP)]

In old terminology a coin was 8 bits so.....

http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/twobits.html

[CBMatt]

That's pretty good, but if the internet ever plans on trying to make it in Hollywood, it'll have to go on a diet.

[The Saviour]

That was a good read...

If we can work out the weight of the bits associated with a piece of information when it is assembled in a computer’s memory, we are halfway to figuring out the weight of the Internet.

One question, though...

If we were to measure the weight of the Internet...instead of just data...wouldn't we have to weigh the hardware it takes which makes the Internet possible?

Without this hardware...there is no Internet.

[Calum]

That's a good point.
Although it does say "How much would all the data sent through the Internet on an average day weigh?"

[Computer Hope Admin]

That would be very interesting to weigh something like that Saviour. Take into account of all the computers, servers, routers, switches, CABLES, racks, etc. and get a total weight from that.

Or another interesting thing for someone with a lot of time to do would be to see how much the Internet consumes in power.

[CBMatt]

Or we could, you know, cure cancer or something.

[The Saviour]

That would be very interesting to weigh something like that Saviour. Take into account of all the computers, servers, routers, switches, CABLES, racks, etc. and get a total weight from that.

Or another interesting thing for someone with a lot of time to do would be to see how much the Internet consumes in power.

At least that would be easier to measure...

[vic_i_eee]

That was a good read...

If we can work out the weight of the bits associated with a piece of information when it is assembled in a computer’s memory, we are halfway to figuring out the weight of the Internet.

One question, though...

If we were to measure the weight of the Internet...instead of just data...wouldn't we have to weigh the hardware it takes which makes the Internet possible?
Without this hardware...there is no Internet.

And without the geeks there would be no hardware, and the food the geeks consume cause without the food there would be no geeks, and how much does a 944 weigh, because without them they can't get to there hardware. 

Keep in mind the term geek is now politically correct and meant in a good way.

[street1 (RIP)]

Dork! Spaz! Nerd!

[reaper_tbs]

who said spaz was acceptable lol