Japanese researchers have made a new type of internet cable that can send information incredibly fast. This new fiber optic cable has set a world record by sending data at 1.02 petabits per second. That’s so fast, you could download every movie on Netflix 30 times in just one second. And it did this over a distance of 1,808 kilometers, which is like sending data across a continent.

The new cable, developed by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Sumitomo Electric Industries, is as thin as a human hair but has 19 tiny pathways, or “cores,” for data to travel through. Think of it like having a 19-lane highway instead of a single-lane road, all within the same small space. This clever design means it can fit into current internet systems without needing expensive changes.

This breakthrough is important because the amount of data we use globally is expected to triple by 2030. This super-fast cable could help build future internet networks that can handle all that information. Scientists are working to make these cables ready for widespread use, possibly even for cables under the ocean.

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