The mathematical theory that made the internet possible



The internet could not exist without information theory
Mehmet BAYSAN / Alamy
The following is an extract from our Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Each month, we hand over the keyboard to a physicist or mathematician to tell you about fascinating ideas from their corner of the universe. You can sign up for Lost in Space-Time here.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, the digital revolution ushered in the information age, radically changing the way information is processed and transmitted. Audio and video, which traditionally had been analogue, became digital. Phones gained more computational power than the room-filling machines…
You Might Also Like
There are five types of sleep – here’s what that means for your health
Sleep can be experienced very differently from one person to the nextPeopleImages/Shutterstock Different people may experience one of five types...
Your happiness in life may not be U-shaped – here’s how it could vary
Our happiness levels are not constant throughout our livesIppei & Janine Photography/Getty Images The commonly held belief that happiness follows...
Jane Goodall, dogged advocate for the natural world, has died aged 91
Jane Goodall studying the behaviour of a chimpanzee during her research in TanzaniaPenelope Breese/Liaison Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall has died...
Two-in-one inhalers slash asthma attacks among young children
Combination asthma inhalers seem to be the best treatment option for all agesSBDIGIT/Getty Images Inhalers that combine providing immediate relief...