The Journey of a Data Packet on The World Wide Web

An illustration, with simplistic glowing blobs, nevertheless makes clear just how far and fast data packets travel on the Web CREDIT: World Science Festival View full size image

Bothered by how long it takes a Web page to load — say, if it's more than a second?

That is sub-par performance. But let's put it in perspective. A fascinating video produced for last month's World Science Festival in New York City on how the Internet works shows how amazing it is that a Web page can get to you at all.

Shown during a session called "Internet Everywhere," the video illustrates the thousands of miles that data travels, back and fourth across the globe, every time you click on a link. 

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