When Undersea Cables Break

An undersea cable breaks in the middle of the Atlantic, and the answer to “what happens now?” takes us back to 1866. The Great Eastern is searching for a lost cable with a hook, a winch, and a crew trying to hear one word from Ireland. Then Samanth Subramanian explains why repairing the internet still involves dragging a grapnel across the ocean floor.

Full show notes for this FIVE MINUTE SHORT and resources

Support The Outfall on Patreon: The Outfall on Patreon

Instagram: @the_outfall

Featuring: Samanth Subramanian, author of The Web Beneath the Waves.

Dramatization: “Alive or Dead” is based on contemporary accounts. Dialogue is invented, and the events follow first-hand records of the 1866 recovery.