Chronicles of light: Light goes further than you imagine

What uses did you never imagine?

In the previous chapters, we saw how fiber optics was born and how it works inside. Now it’s time to take one step further and uncover something surprising: this technology goes far beyond the Internet and has become an essential tool in science, industry, and even in our daily lives.

Beneath the oceans, submarine fiber cables connect continents and carry more than 95% of international data traffic. They are true invisible highways that sustain the global economy, from financial transactions to voice calls and video conferences. Despite being hidden under thousands of meters of water, they are the nervous system of the digital world.

👉 Fun fact: there is an interactive map where you can explore, in real time, the submarine cables deployed all over the world — and it’s truly spectacular. submarinecablemap.com

In science, fiber optics has opened paths unthinkable just a few decades ago. It is used in seismology as a network of sensors capable of detecting earthquakes, helping anticipate risks and save lives. It is also present in astronomy, where it links distant telescopes to capture data from the universe with unprecedented precision. And in the most advanced laboratories, the photons traveling through fiber act as qubits in quantum computing, bringing us closer to a new era of information processing.

In the industrial field, fiber is equally indispensable. Wind farms rely on it to control turbines without electromagnetic interference, ensuring stable and clean performance. At the same time, the oil industry uses fiber to monitor wells in real time, thanks to its resistance to extreme pressure and temperature conditions.

But not everything is about distant or highly complex scenarios. In our daily lives we also benefit from these advances. Fiber optics has made cloud gaming possible, allowing us to enjoy video games via streaming without the need for physical consoles, and it is the foundation for the development of smart cities, which intelligently manage everything from traffic lights to parking sensors.

Conclusion
From the oceans to the stars, from the energy industries to our cities, fiber optics is much more than the Internet. It is a silent and versatile technology that connects science, innovation, and everyday life, surprising us with applications that seem straight out of science fiction but are already part of our reality.

👉 In the next chapter: The connection that is already part of your life.