The United Nations named 2022 the ‘International Year of Glass’, which celebrates the essential role glass has played in technology and daily life.
Where Would We Be Without Glass?
A Brief History of Glass
Glass has been around for thousands of years. Its earliest use can be traced back to the Stone Age, where it was typically used to create small decorative items such as beads. It gradually became more commonplace and was eventually used for many purposes. However, it wasn’t until the 13th century that glass was used to make things like windows.
Glass in Fiber Optics
The glass used to make fiber optics cables is so pure that a solid block 5km thick would be as transparent as a pristine windowpane. There are two types of optical fibers: Multimode and Single-mode. While the exact diameter varies between the two, the largest is still only a little wider than the average human hair!
The underlying principles behind using glass to direct light were present in the late 1700s, but while advances were made throughout the 1800s, it wasn’t until the 1960’s and 70’s that research began to make telecommunications through fiber optics possible. In fact, the first live telephone traffic transmitted through fiber optics happened in Long Beach, California, in 1977, and the first transatlantic telephone cable went into operation in 1988.
Discover more about the International Year of Glass 2022 here – https://www.iyog2022.org/