When Did The Internet Begin?

November 27, 2019 | Jamie Hayes

When Did The Internet Begin?


For many of us, our work life, home life, and everything in between revolve around the internet. But for such a big part of modern society, it hasn’t been around that long. It may seem like this massive, timeless leviathan, but the internet as we know it started off extremely small. So, when the internet begin?


When Did The Internet Begin?

Well, it all started with the Advanced Research Projects Agency, or ARPA. President Dwight D. Eisenhower created the program in 1958, not long after the USSR launched Sputnik, the first-ever manmade satellite. The Americans worried they were losing technological supremacy, so Ike decided to fix that by starting up ARPA.

Hank Williams factsGetty Images

Galaxy Brain

Enter J.C.R Licklider, a computer scientist at MIT who, in 1962, envisioned linking computers together in what he called a “Galactic Network.” Months after first mentioning this concept in memos, ARPA brought in Licklider to head the computer research program at ARPA (by this time called DARPA).

When Did The Internet Begin EditorialShutterstock

Though the computers of the day were room-sized behemoths that worked on magnetic tape and punch cards, the scientists at DARPA managed to make Licklider’s dream a reality. They started by connecting computers at UCLA and Stanford. Soon after, they added machines at UC Santa Barbara and the University of Utah.

when did the internet begin editorialShutterstock

ARPANET

Soon enough, they created ARPANET, the first-ever computer network—but not the internet. As the years went by, scientists working in other parts of the world created their own networking projects. Slowly, across decades, computer scientists connected these networks to one another, eventually creating the modern internet.

Since ARPANET was the original, much of its fundamental protocols are still used on the internet today.

Students Getting Expelled factsPixabay

World Wide Web

But up until the early 1990s, the “internet” was mostly just used by government employees, university students, and hardcore computer scientists. It wasn’t until Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web in 1990 that the rest of the world could get online and join the internet.

The internet is a vast network of connected computers, like stars in the night’s sky. The World Wide Web gave us the binoculars to access them for ourselves. So while the often-claimed “Tim Berners-Lee invented the internet” isn’t quite accurate, he is certainly responsible for bringing it to your fingertips. Even if it's not "inventing the internet," it's still probably worth a thank you.

When did the internet begin editorialWikimedia

Sources123


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.