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Mathematics

The mathematical theory that made the internet possible

Information theory tells us the limits of what can and cannot be communicated – and without it, the digital revolution could never have happened

By Chris Bernhardt

6 September 2024

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…

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