Is it possible to destroy the internet?

Is it?

Can we?

How?


Im not saying, Im just saying.

reply to post by Frankenchrist


Well, considering the fact that the Internet is made of a series of tubes...I think we can destroy it. Thor's hammer would be a good tool for doing so.

No......not a chance.....cant be done


The internet cannot be completely disabled. Information (websites) are stored on servers...computers. Only a super virus could infect EVERY single server on the planet...we are talking millions if not billions of servers.

The internet is here to stay...like it was designed

Ok, Lets just say we did. What would the world be like? Would it be like 1993 again? Or would it put us 50 years behind since EVERYTHING seems to be connected to this beast we call the internet?

reply to post by loves a conspiricy

No......not a chance.....cant be done The internet cannot be completely disabled. Information (websites) are stored on servers...computers. Only a super virus could infect EVERY single server on the planet...we are talking millions if not billions of servers. The internet is here to stay...like it was designed

Ahh, you do realize the internet refers to the NETWORK that allows these computers to communicate right?

And yes, that network can be taken down. The internet relies on a few things to work. Firstly, DNS, meaning you can use a name like google.com instead of a direct IP. DNS has a handful of "root hint" servers, taking them down for most purposes takes the internet down with it (depending on location). Google "mafiaboy" if you want info on that.

As well, the internet requires a telecommunications network to transmit data. With that, it requires routers, very expensive routers. Even though you may think the entire globe is connected, there are only a few links between continents and once you sever those backbone trunk links, whoever was at the other end is now offline.

the internet is indestructible in the sense that the data isn't stored in any single location. But it requires the NETWORK to function, and the network can easily be taken down. Which brings you in a roundabout way back to the entire purpose of the military created network, to survive a nuclear attack. We think of the "web" when we think of the internet, but the "net" itself is merely the network allowing this communication to happen. Ignoring the trunk links between continents, you could really take out "the internet" in the us as long as the telecomunication infrastructure remains intact, as the "net" can re-route itself, using those fancy routers.

But keep this in mind.
no power = no internet.
No telecommunications grid = no internet.

The data isn't lost, but once the network goes down, it might as well be.

reply to post by Frankenchrist

Ok, Lets just say we did. What would the world be like?

I'd never hear about Nibiru again. Bring on the end of the net in that case!

reply to post by Frankenchrist
Of course - it's very delicate and easy to crush (skip to 3.23 or just enjoy the whole video):


More seriously, though, I don't see why not. A series of electromagnetic pulses around the world, extremely strong CME or the like, or various other things could fry pretty much all electronic circuits and throw us all back to the stone age.

Also, the world-wide internet is connected by a pretty small number of cables, so the GLOBAL internet would be even easier to kill, leaving regions isolated.

So yes, the internet COULD be killed, but the only way I'm personally aware of would give us a lot more to worry about than not having online access.

Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by Frankenchrist

 

Ok, Lets just say we did. What would the world be like?

I'd never hear about Nibiru again. Bring on the end of the net in that case!

lol right?


Its not like I want to go back to 1993, although, It seems like I had alot more money to burn back then, and I was getting paid 3 times less than I am now.

Yes, the internet could be destroyed. It would take a solar flare event to do so like the Carrington Event of 1859. However, it has the capacity to wife all computer memory clean and destroy almost all the electronics worldwide. It would be a disaster of the highest order and result in total disruption of western civilization.

Originally posted by airforce47
... the capacity to wife all computer memory clean and destroy almost all the electronics worldwide.

Whoa there. I know my wife doesn't like to visit Best Buy but I wouldn't put here dislike of electronics up there high enough to remove all computer memory worldwide.

Considering that the Internet (ARPANET) was originally designed as a robust communication system that could survive nuclear war I'd say that taking it down would be quite difficult. True you could cut off specific places from communicating but disabling the entire thing is nearly impossible without destroying everything. The weak points are things like the trans-Atlantic communication. Trunks could be severed that would slow down communication but today you're talking about disabling satellites and wireless communication too. Nearly impossible to do.

Now this is just a thought.


I always hear people say " if you had a chance to kill Hitler before WW2, would you do it?

I would.


Im not saying the Internet is Hitler. Im just saying I think there is a possibility of the internet becoming the end all be all within 50 years. And that scares me.

I suppose it could be done, but it would be a game of Whack-a-Mole. Even if a major trunk were disrupted, the system could be re-routed. And there's enough tech-savvy people out there that could provide alternate routing that it would be practically impossible to kill it completely.