Undersea cable facts for kids
An Undersea cable or Submarine communications cable is a special cable that is laid on the bottom of the sea or in waterways like rivers. These cables are super important because they usually do one of two things: they either carry electricity to power places, or they are used for telecommunication, which means sending information like internet data or phone calls across oceans. If a cable is longer than about 70 kilometers (about 43 miles), it usually uses direct current (DC) electricity because it loses less power over long distances compared to alternating current (AC). These cables are also built to be very strong and tough to survive the deep sea!
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What Are Undersea Cables?
Undersea cables are like the hidden highways of the internet. They are long wires that stretch across oceans and seas. These cables carry almost all of the world's internet traffic and phone calls. Without them, it would be much harder to connect with people on different continents.
How Do They Work?
Most modern undersea cables are made of fiber optics. These are tiny strands of glass or plastic, thinner than a human hair. They send information using pulses of light. Imagine flashing a super-fast light down a long tube – that's how data travels! These light signals carry everything from your video calls to your online games.
Powering the World
Some undersea cables carry electricity. These are often used to connect power grids between countries or to bring electricity from offshore wind farms to land. They help make sure everyone has enough power.
A Look Back in Time: Cable History
The idea of sending messages across the ocean isn't new. The first successful undersea telegraph cable was laid in 1858. It connected North America and Europe. This was a huge step for communication!
Early Telegraph Cables
These early cables used electricity to send simple messages called Morse code. It was a slow process, but it was much faster than sending letters by ship. Imagine waiting weeks for a message that now takes seconds!
From Telegraphs to Telephones
Over time, technology improved. In the 1950s, the first undersea telephone cables were laid. These allowed people to talk to each other across the ocean, almost like they were in the same room.
The Internet Age
Today, most undersea cables are fiber optic. They can carry massive amounts of data at incredible speeds. This is why you can stream videos, play online games, and browse websites from anywhere in the world.
How Are Cables Laid and Repaired?
Laying an undersea cable is a huge job. Special ships called cable-laying ships carefully unroll the cable from giant spools. They use advanced equipment to make sure the cable lands safely on the seabed.
Deep Sea Challenges
The ocean floor can be very deep and rocky. Cables need to be strong enough to handle the pressure and protected from damage. Sometimes, they are even buried under the sand near the shore to keep them safe.
Fixing Broken Cables
Cables can sometimes break due to earthquakes, fishing trawlers, or even shark bites! When a cable breaks, special repair ships are sent out. They use robots and grappling hooks to find the broken ends, pull them to the surface, and fix them. It's like surgery for the internet!
Why Are Undersea Cables So Important?
Undersea cables are vital for our modern world. They connect continents, allowing people, businesses, and governments to communicate instantly. They support global trade, education, and entertainment. Without them, the internet as we know it wouldn't exist!
Connecting Continents
These cables form a giant network that links almost every country. This network allows information to flow freely around the globe.
Keeping Us Connected
From sending emails to watching movies online, almost everything you do on the internet relies on these hidden cables. They are truly the backbone of global communication.
Images for kids
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A telegraph stamp of the British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co. Limited (c. 1862).
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Operators in the submarine telegraph cable room at the GPO's Central Telegraph Office in London c. 1898
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Eastern Telegraph Company network in 1901. Dotted lines across the Pacific indicate then-planned cables laid in 1902–03.
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Landing of an Italy-USA cable (4,704 nautical miles long), on the Rockoway beach, New-York, January 1925.
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A map showing the many undersea cables around the world.
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A map of active and anticipated submarine communications cables servicing the African continent.
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An animation showing a method used to repair submarine communications cables.
