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Hans India
14-07-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Japan Sets Record with World's Fastest Internet: 1.02 Petabits Per Second Using Standard Optical Fibre
Imagine downloading the entire Netflix library in just one second. This astonishing feat is now a reality — at least in a lab — thanks to Japanese researchers who have shattered the world record for internet speed. Scientists at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan have successfully demonstrated a mind-boggling internet speed of 1.02 petabits per second, all while using standard-sized optical fibre cables. To put it into perspective, one petabit equals a million gigabits — or a staggering one billion megabits per second (1,020,000,000 Mbps). That's millions of times faster than the average internet speed in many countries. For example, the United States averages around 300 Mbps, while India clocks in at about 64 Mbps. The contrast is nearly unimaginable — and it opens up a future where buffering and long download times could be obsolete. What sets this breakthrough apart is not just the sheer speed, but how it was achieved. Instead of using bulky or exotic hardware, the NICT team relied on a modified version of the existing fibre-optic technology used worldwide. Their cable still measures just 0.125 mm in diameter, the same size as common optical fibres. However, inside, it's anything but ordinary. The cable contains 19 separate cores — ultra-thin pathways for transmitting data — as opposed to the single core found in conventional cables. This multi-core setup dramatically boosts bandwidth, allowing multiple data streams to travel simultaneously without increasing the cable's physical footprint. NICT didn't just prove this in a lab over short distances. They also conducted a long-distance test, transmitting data across 1,808 kilometers (1,123 miles). The experiment involved looping the signal through 19 circuits, each 86.1 km long. The result was 180 data streams operating simultaneously, producing a massive bandwidth of 1.86 exabits per second per kilometer. 'Our goal was to demonstrate that incredibly fast internet speeds can be achieved using infrastructure that already exists,' said NICT. Such incredible speeds open the door to unimaginable real-world applications. Think instant 8K ultra-HD video streaming, real-time global cloud collaboration, faster AI model training, and instant access to massive data archives. Even downloading the entire English Wikipedia — with all edits — thousands of times per second becomes a trivial task. Though the technology is still in its experimental phase, the researchers stress that the use of standard cable sizes makes widespread adoption more feasible in the future. While there's no set date for public deployment, this milestone offers a tantalizing glimpse into what could soon be a new era of high-speed connectivity. As internet demands grow with AI, immersive media, and cloud-based systems, innovations like this could lay the groundwork for global-scale, lightning-fast networks — and redefine how we interact with data.
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First Post
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Japan's petabit: The world's fastest internet speed that can download 67 million songs in a second
Japan has set a new world record for the fastest internet speed ever achieved at 1.02 petabits per second. About 16 million times faster than India's average internet speed of 63.55 Mbps, this high internet speed could, in theory, download the entire Netflix library or about 67 million songs in under a second read more Japan researchers say they've achieved 1.02 petabits per second, this speed could, in theory, download the entire Netflix catalogue in under a second. Large files like 150GB video games, such as Call of Duty: Warzone, could be downloaded in the blink of an eye. AI generated representative image Imagine being able to download the entire Netflix library in under a second—or stream millions of 8K videos at the same time, without buffering. It may sound unbelievable, but Japan just gave the world a real glimpse of that possibility. Researchers in the country recently set a new world record for the fastest internet speed ever achieved: 1.02 petabits per second. To put that into perspective, it's around 16 million times faster than India's average internet speed of 63.55 Mbps and 3.5 million times faster than US. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what exactly does this mean for everyday users? And how did Japan manage to achieve such mind-boggling speeds? Let's take a closer look. How fast is 1.02 Petabits per second? To understand just how fast this is: a petabit equals one million gigabits. So when researchers say they've achieved 1.02 petabits per second, they mean a connection capable of transferring over 100,000 HD movies in a single second. This speed could, in theory, download the entire Netflix catalogue in under a second. Large files like 150GB video games, such as Call of Duty: Warzone, could be downloaded in the blink of an eye. The numbers only get wilder. As per Gagadget, the complete English Wikipedia takes up around 100GB. At 1.02 petabits per second, that's enough speed to download it 10,000 times in just one second. Even music platforms can't keep up with this scale. According to Spotify, a minute of audio takes up roughly 1MB. With Japan's new speed, you could theoretically download 67 million songs in a second—that's more than 1,27,000 years of continuous music. Japanese researchers recently set a new world record for the fastest internet speed ever achieved: 1.02 petabits per second. Image for Representation/Reuters While these examples are fun to imagine, the real impact lies in what this could mean for the future of technology. From cloud computing to generative AI, autonomous vehicles, and real-time translation, all of these technologies rely on massive amounts of data flowing quickly and seamlessly. With speeds like this, data centres across continents could function as if they were part of the same local network, enabling truly instantaneous, global AI operations. How did Japan achieve this feat? The record-breaking speed was achieved by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in partnership with Sumitomo Electric and European collaborators. The team successfully transmitted data over a distance of more than 1,800 kilometres, roughly the stretch from Delhi to Goa, using an advanced, specially designed fibre-optic cable. Unlike regular fibre that carries data through a single light path, this new cable uses 19 separate cores packed into the same standard-sized fibre. Researchers describe it as a '19-lane superhighway' for internet traffic, a design that boosts capacity while still working with existing infrastructure. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The record-breaking speed was achieved by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in partnership with Sumitomo Electric and European collaborators. AI-generated representative image The optical fibre cable was developed by Sumitomo Electric, while the data transmission system was built by NICT in collaboration with their international research team. To overcome the usual issues of signal weakening over long distances, the researchers used sophisticated amplification systems. These boosted the signals across multiple light wavelengths using advanced signal processing techniques. The test setup involved 19 fibre loops, each 86.1 km long, through which the signal was passed 21 times. This brought the total transmission length to 1,808 km, during which 180 individual data streams were sent at record-breaking speed and stability. When will we use this in everyday life? Unfortunately, not anytime soon. Right now, consumer internet isn't even close to reaching terabit speeds, let alone petabit. Most home connections still operate in the range of megabits per second. That said, this breakthrough hasn't gone unnoticed. Telecom companies, data centre operators, and governments around the world are paying close attention. What Japan has achieved could become the blueprint for the next generation of internet infrastructure, including undersea cables, national broadband backbones, and even future 6G networks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It may take years for such speeds to trickle down to everyday users, but the direction is clear: we're heading toward a world where high-capacity, lightning-fast internet is the norm, not the exception. With input from agencies
Engadget
11-06-2025
- Engadget
Wikipedia pauses AI summaries after editors skewer the idea
Wikipedia is backing off AI article summaries… for now. Earlier this month, the platform trialed the feature in its mobile app. To say they weren't well-received by editors would be an understatement. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) paused the test a day later. The AI summaries appeared at the top of articles for 10 percent of mobile users. Readers had to opt in to see them. The AI-generated summaries only appeared "on a set of articles" for the two-week trial period. Editor comments in the WMF's announcement (via 404 Media ) ranged from "Yuck" to "Grinning with horror." One editor wrote, "Just because Google has rolled out its AI summaries doesn't mean we need to one-up them. I sincerely beg you not to test this, on mobile or anywhere else. This would do immediate and irreversible harm to our readers and to our reputation as a decently trustworthy and serious source." "Wikipedia has in some ways become a byword for sober boringness, which is excellent," the editor continued. "Let's not insult our readers' intelligence and join the stampede to roll out flashy AI summaries." Editors' gripes weren't limited to the idea. They also criticized the nonprofit for excluding them from the planning phase. "You also say this has been 'discussed,' which is thoroughly laughable as the 'discussion' you link to has exactly one participant, the original poster, who is another WMF employee," an editor wrote. In a statement to 404 Media , a WMF spokesperson said the backlash influenced its decision. "It is common to receive a variety of feedback from volunteers, and we incorporate it in our decisions, and sometimes change course," the spokesperson stated. "We welcome such thoughtful feedback — this is what continues to make Wikipedia a truly collaborative platform of human knowledge." In the "discussion" page, the organization explained that it wanted to cater to its audience's needs. "Many readers need some simplified text in addition to the main content," a WMF employee wrote. "In previous research, we heard that readers wanted to have an option to get a quick overview of a topic prior to jumping into reading the full article." The WMF employee stated that the average reading level for adult native English speakers is that of a 14- or 15-year-old. "It may be lower for non-native English speakers who regularly read English Wikipedia," they added. The organization didn't rule out future uses of AI. But they said editors won't be left in the dark next time. "Bringing generative AI into the Wikipedia reading experience is a serious set of decisions, with important implications, and we intend to treat it as such," the spokesperson told 404 Media . "We do not have any plans for bringing a summary feature to the wikis without editor involvement."
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Integrated into Kerala's educational system, Malayalam Wiki is eyeing the future
KOCHI: The election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as pontiff on May 8 sparked global curiosity—and nowhere in India was this more evident than in Kerala, which has the country's largest Catholic population. Over the next few days, the English Wikipedia page for Pope Leo XIV — the papal name that Cardinal Prevost assumed — witnessed a remarkable 300% increase in views globally. And, to cater to the needs of Malayalis who prefer to access information in their mother tongue, Malayalam Wikipedia stepped in with a thoughtful initiative: using its 'content translation' tool, the article on Pope Leo XIV was swiftly developed in Malayalam. And there were many takers, with the viewership rising manifold for the Malayalam edition. 'Wikipedia is the largest online encyclopaedia, and the most popular version is the English Wikipedia. However, it's now available in 345 languages. Besides Malayalam, we've editions in 20 Indian languages. More and more people are now searching in their local languages. The viewership for Malayalam Wikipedia has surged of late, especially after the election of the new Pope. This after we instantly translated the English Wikipedia content on Pope Leo XIV into 23 other global regional languages, including Malayalam. Similarly, when the Wayanad landslides happened last year, many people created articles on Malayalam Wikipedia and contributed images.' Santhosh Thottingal, principal software engineer (language engineering), Wikimedia Foundation, told TNIE. The non-profit Wikimedia Foundation hosts Wikipedia- — the free online encyclopaedia created, edited, and verified by volunteers around the world — as well as many other vital community projects. Santhosh said the regional language Wikipedia editions are as credible as the English version as entries are not merely 'machine-translated', but contributed by volunteers who thoroughly check their veracity and write in the taste of the local language viewers. So, what are the challenges ahead for regional language editions? 'Many people are unaware that Wikipedia info is available in Malayalam. That's our main challenge,' he said.
