Why the Speed of Light Matters for Computers — Grace Hopper's Nanosecond — an Animated Explanation

In one nanosecond light covers 29.98 cm, and a signal in a real wire manages about two thirds of that. Distance is time, which is why chips stay small and why the web caches near you. Companion article: https://thebitbelow.com/blog/d4-lengt... The Bit Below is an animated series with no narration: a small spark reboots a planet-sized sleeping machine, learning computer science from the silicon up. Free posters, games, deep dives: https://thebitbelow.com Chapters: 0:00 The Length of a Nanosecond 0:05 the beat got faster, the wait did not 0:31 better copper changes nothing 0:50 a nanosecond, in your hand 1:17 the honest wire is shorter 1:41 everything one beat does, inside this 2:08 flight is 1% of a RAM access 2:38 across an ocean is different 3:12 keep things near for speed 3:31 Build Deeper Season 1 — Foundations:    • The Bit Below — Season 1: Foundations, CPU...   Everywhere @thebitbelow: TikTok:   / thebitbelow   Instagram:   / thebitbelow   Facebook:   / thebitbelow   X: https://x.com/thebitbelow #animation #computerscience #stem